Terra Solar has been granted a 10-year planning permission for the development of a solar farm located in Firgrove, Co. Clare.
The conditional approval from Clare County Council allows for 34,334m² of solar panels on ground mounted steel frames and will involve the demolition of a ruined cottage on the existing site.
The solar firm works to develop, finance, construct and operate solar farms across the island of Ireland, and has reportedly claimed that the Co. Clare facility will provide energy to around 2,000 homes.
It will also include boundary security fencing, site landscaping, the upgrading of an existing farm track and a new internal access track, as well as CCTV and “all associated site works”.
Laois solar farm
In April, a separate energy company that was granted permission to construct two solar farms in Co. Laois lodged appeals with An Bord Pleanala against certain conditions imposed by the local authority.
JBM Solar Developments Ltd was asked by Laois County Council to lodge a cash deposit of €100,000 on each application before starting work to secure the satisfactory reinstatement of the site.
Approval for the developments at Sronagh, Mountmellick, was granted despite the objections of two local residents – Thomas and Margaret Lalor – who reportedly raised concern that it would pose a potential hazard to low-flying planes in a nearby airfield.
Local residents were also reportedly worried that they would be affected by “glint and glare” from the development.