2560361
period of 10 years for a proposed solar farm and BESS (battery energy storage system) development which will consist of the construction of PV panels mounted on metal frames, inverters, battery storage infrastructure (BESS units, and MV Stations), new access tracks, underground cabling, perimeter fencing with CCTV cameras and access gates, a temporary construction compound, a substation and all ancillary grid infrastructure and associated works. It is proposed to use the consented Ballymoney Solar Farm access point (Pl Ref: 19/627 and ABP Ref: 305289-19). The solar farm and BESS would be operational for 40 years. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) will be submitted with this application
Core Refusal Reason
The proposed development would have a significant negative visual impact on a Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), leading to an industrialised appearance and an over-concentration of solar farms in a sensitive rural landscape.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The scale of the solar farm and BESS development would result in an unacceptable industrialisation of a sensitive rural area designated as a Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- The cumulative effect of the proposal alongside other permitted solar farms in the immediate vicinity would create a saturation of such developments, negatively impacting the character of the northern approaches to Arklow Town.
- The development would undermine the fundamental planning principles of protecting the county's most important landscapes and would be visible from key transport corridors like the M11, giving a strong industrial impression.