2320
DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.THE PROPOSED SOLAR PV ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IS CONTAINED WITHIN TWO DISTINCT PARCELS OF LAND, REFERRED TO AS ZONE 1 AND ZONE 2. THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT SITE OF C. 247 HECTARES WILL CONTAIN: (I) SOLAR PV PANELS ON GROUND MOUNTED FRAMES /SUPPORT STRUCTURES WITHIN EXISTING FIELD BOUNDARIES, (IÎ) 30 NO. MEDIUM VOLTAGE POWER STATION (MVPS) ENCLOSURES (6.058M LONG X 2.348M WIDE X 2.896M HIGH), (III) 6 NO. WEATHER MONITORING STATIONS, (IV) 2 NO, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPOUNDS (50M LONG X 35M WIDE), (V) INTERNAL SITE ACCESS TRACKS AND UNDERGROUND CABLES (UGC), (VI) UGC IN THE PUBLIC ROAD NETWORK (L70095, L70099, L70208-3 & R357), WHICH WILL ELECTRICALLY CONNECT THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE DERRYCARNEY 110KV SUBSTATION LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWNLAND OF LUMCLOON, AND (VII) ALL ANCILLARY DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING; PERIMETER FENCING WITH ACCESS GATES AT VEHICLE SITE ENTRANCES ALONG PUBLIC ROADS (L70095 AND THE R357), CCTV SECURITY CAMERAS, LANDSCAPING, AND ALL ASSOCIATED CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS, PLANNING PERMISSION IS BEING SOUGHT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS. A NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT (NIS) HAS BEEN PREPARED AND ACCOMPANIES THIS PLANNING APPLICATION
Core Refusal Reason
The proposed development is located within highly sensitive landscape areas and Areas of High Amenity, where it would result in significant negative visual impacts and fails to meet site selection requirements set out in the County Development Plan.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The development of Zone 2 within a High Sensitivity Area and Area of High Amenity would result in an incongruous feature that is out of character with the landscape and would set an undesirable precedent.
- The proximity of Zone 1 to the Grand Canal corridor fails to protect the recreational and amenity potential of the waterway and would have a significant detrimental impact on the distinctiveness of the surrounding area.
- The applicant failed to provide a suitable site selection assessment in accordance with CAEP-35 and Development Management Standard 110 to justify the use of high-sensitivity lands.