Clare County Council has given its approval for the construction of a solar farm in Ardnacrusha.
The development will span 70 hectares and will operate for 40 years.
The planning application for the development was submitted on the 13th of July of this year by AECOM Ireland Limited, on behalf of its client Harmony Solar Clare Limited, which is a company owned by Harmony Solar Ireland Limited and ESB Solar Ireland Limited.
The solar farm development will be situated on a 70 hectare site northwest of Ardnacrusha within the townlands of Castlebank, Glenlon North, Glenlon South, Drummin and Ballykeelaun.
The project will require the erection of over 300,000 square metres of solar panels on ground mounted steel frames, an electrical substation with an electrical control building, underground power and communication cables including underground cabling along the L3056 public road and upgraded site entrances to the public road.
In addition, there will be newly-installed boundary fencing including over 600 metres of acoustic barrier fencing on the eastern boundary.
The application also notes that landscaping and biodiversity measures will be implemented.
The solar farm will be operational for 40 years and a Natural Impact Statement was included as part of the application.
Clare County Council received seven submissions in relation to the application and as a result, it has been granted approval provided 13 conditions are met.
