A planning decision is due in the coming days on a proposed Tipperary solar farm which faced significant opposition.

Power Capital Renewable Energy Limited submitted a planning application to develop a 318-acre solar farm outside Dualla, Co Tipperary, in March.

The development would entail the installation of ground-mounted solar panels across multiple land blocks, 16 transformer units, underground cabling, security fencing, a CCTV system and would operate for 40 years.

Plans were submitted last month, quickly gathering local opposition.

A number of public meetings have been held in the village, where locals expressed their concerns about the plans. By the time the objection window closed, close to 310 objections and submissions were received against the project.

Politicians

Many local concerns centered around the lack of public engagement and the scale of the project.

While a 318-acre solar farm is large, there are considerably larger projects in development around the country. Many developers aim to build 250-acre solar farms or larger to avail of economies of scale.

Multiple local councillors - including Sinn Féin Cllr David Dunne, Fine Gael’s Cllr Declan Burgess and Cllr Mark Fitzgerald, plus independent Cllr Kevin O’Meara - made submissions to the project, citing a lack of community engagement as a key concern.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath submitted an objection to the project, stating that notwithstanding the need for renewable clean energy, he believes that the proposed development, if permitted, would negatively impact the surrounding area.

Delay

A decision is due on the project at the end of the month. However, given the nature of the project and the number of objections, it seems likely that even if the solar farm was granted permission, an appeal would follow, delaying the project for another 12 to 18 months.

In some cases, if the developer gets approval from the board, it may be followed by a judicial review, delaying the project for years.