22299

EXTENSION OF DURATION of 16/6184 5MW solar farm comprising of approximately 20,000 photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames within total site area of 9.3 hectares, 5 no. single storey inverter/transformer stations, security fencing, CCTV, access road from existing car park area and all associated ancillary development works.

Refused

Core Refusal Reason

The application was submitted on an obsolete statutory form and failed to provide sufficient evidence or clarification regarding the commencement of development and the extent of substantial works undertaken.

Decision Maker's Conclusion

  • The applicant utilized an obsolete statutory application form, which does not comply with current planning regulations for an extension of duration request.
  • There is a lack of clarity regarding the commencement of development; while the application states works have not started, the Planning Authority requires formal confirmation to assess the application under Section 42 of the Act.
  • The applicant failed to provide details on the extent of 'substantial works' completed to date, which is a mandatory requirement for determining if an extension of duration can be legally granted.

Cited Policies (CDP)

Decision Document Summary

The applicant, Thomas Flynn, sought an 18-month extension of duration for a previously permitted 5MW solar farm on a 9.3-hectare site at Newdown, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath (Ref: 16/6184). The Planning Authority's report recommended that the application be effectively stalled via a Further Information request because it was lodged using an outdated statutory form. Furthermore, the inspector noted a lack of definitive evidence regarding whether development had commenced or if substantial works had ...
SOURCE PDFOpen Original
Note: If code appears below, the council site is blocking the preview. Please open the original file.