Naas Solar Farm Approved Despite Concerns Over Impact On Local Landscape

Friday, 8 March 2024 10:31

By Martin Osborne

The project, led by Dublin-based SPP, entails ground-mounted frames housing solar panels, alongside 51 transformer units, and a CCTV system.

Despite a number of objections, a solar farm, set to be built on a 319 acre site on the outskirts of Naas, near Punchestown Racecourse, has been approved.

An Bord Pleanála has upheld Kildare County Council’s decision to permit Strategic Power Projects (SPP) to proceed with the project.

The Swordlestown proposal will see over 230,000 solar panels installed on prime grazing land adjacent to stud farms, in a bid to produce emissions-free electricity - with ground-mounted frames housing solar panels, alongside 51 transformer units, and a CCTV system.

Critics argued that the project's site selection and development do not align with national policies or local development plans, raising questions about the loss of prime agricultural lands and the impact on scenic routes.

Visual concerns, inadequate screening measures, and noise disturbances also featured prominently among the grievances voiced by residents and stakeholders.

The development must be carried out within ten years.

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