Project information

A location ideally suited for a solar farm, while protecting our landscape and environment

Killough Solar is a new solar farm located in an area ideally suited for solar development, in a rural location at Killough, 8km south of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Best in class environmental and archaeological preservation

At the heart of our development is best-in-class environmental and archaeological preservation.

Leading industry experts have been brought together to make sure this happens, and to ensure our focus remains on the benefits renewable energy can bring to the community.

Clean, quiet energy

Killough Solar will supply renewable solar energy to the electricity grid, via an existing, nearby 110kV overhead line. In due course a discreetly housed GIS substation will be built, akin to a farm shed, designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape, and acoustically insulated to be inaudible from outside the farm.

Maintaining the agricultural quality of the land

The land beneath the solar panels can continue to be used for agricultural practices such as pastureland for sheep or other livestock which can pass under the panels, as well as being used for crop cultivation and beekeeping.

Using areas under solar panels for agriculture is a common practice to help maintain the areas and manage grassland. Killough Solar will provide for ecological restoration and measures to increase biodiversity across the site, compatible with certain agricultural uses in and around the solar panels.

Preserving the local landscape

We are committed to protecting the local environment and heritage and have brought together best-in-class industry experts across environmental and archaeological preservation.

Our Landscape and Visual consultants, MacroWorks, will develop a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) report as part of the planning process. This will ensure that sufficient screening is developed to protect the local landscape.

The overall solar farm design includes discreet fencing, hedgerows, and the planting of native tree and shrub species along the boundary of the solar farm.

A team of landscape architects will design the native hedges to screen the fence from outside the site, so the fence, when constructed, should not be visible from outside the site.

Maps & diagrams

Click to enlarge

Proposed Solar Farm Site Layout – Map 1

Click to enlarge

Proposed Solar Farm Site Layout

Planning phases*

Planning application

The current public consultation and planning phase will run until November 2024. During this phase, we will listen to and incorporate the views of our community.

By the end of 2024 it is our intention to submit a planning application for Killough Solar to Tipperary County Council. It is expected that this application will be under review for 8 – 12 weeks.

Grid connection

Killough Solar will apply for permission to supply renewable energy to the national grid via a nearby, existing 110kV line.

Build

This will be a quick build, low-impact construction, that is expected to take less than 18 months.

Traffic mitigation measures will ensure little disruption.

Subject to planning, grid connection, tender, construction and commercial off take agreements, it is likely to be several years before the solar farm becomes operational.

*Current timeline is subject to the decisions of third parties.

Application Process

The part of the solar farm that generates energy consists of solar panels and associated infrastructure. Planning permission for this component will be sought from Tipperary County Council under section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

A separate consenting process will be entered into for the cable, with Tipperary County Council under section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). This is the underground electrical link between the solar farm and a proposed 110kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substation.

A potential separate consenting process will be entered into for a GIS substation and associated works, which will connect the solar farm to the national grid via the adjacent overhead 110kV transmission line. This will be sought from An Bord Pleanála under section 182A of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Protecting our environment and heritage

Planning & environmental report

A planning and environmental report will be prepared and submitted with the application. This will consider aspects related to:

Biodiversity
Water
Noise
Landscape and Visual
Cultural Heritage

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, a Glint and Glare Assessment and a Landscape Management Plan will also be submitted.

Other assessments, plans and reports

A Flood Risk Assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application, as will an outline Construction Environmental Management Plan. This will be finalised before any construction work takes place.

Additional environmental protections

Environmental assessments and real-time data are currently being gathered on-site, and will be used to inform the project design.

Once the solar farm design and specialist reports and assessments have been finalised, a detailed planning application will be prepared and submitted to Tipperary County Council.

Killough Solar will be surrounded by secure fencing, with existing field boundaries retained and incorporated into the design. Existing hedgerows will be supplemented with native trees and shrubs where necessary to enhanced the biodiversity of the site and provide natural visual screening from the project.

Existing biodiversity will be retained, with a number of biodiversity areas and habitat enhancements included within the solar farm design. This will be included in the Biodiversity Enhancement Management Plan submitted with the application.

Additional archaeology and architectural assessments

The design and construction of Killough Solar will preserve all archaeological features and cultural heritage assets of the site. Comprehensive pre-construction assessments such as site walks and geophysical surveys will identify all features above and below ground, with any archaeology and cultural heritage – such as around Killough Castle – excluded from development by implementing non-developable buffer zones at the project design phase.

We will prepare a detailed study of the local archaeological and historical background of the site and the surrounding area, which will include information from:

the Record of Monuments and Places of County Tipperary
the Record of Protected Structures
topographical files within the National Museum
all available cartographic and documentary sources for the area

During construction, a qualified archaeologist will monitor works, with measures such as buffer zones and ‘no entry areas’ for heavy machinery implemented to protect archaeology and cultural heritage assets throughout the solar farm’s operation and decommissioning.

Community feedback

Community feedback will play a core part of the final design of the proposed solar farm. Relevant feedback and suggestions will be incorporated into the final solar farm design.