4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Wexford residents say they were not notified about solar farm despite their Eircodes being published on planning application
Solar Now, with an address at Garrygaug, Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny, submitted an application to Wexford County Council (WCC) on May 1 for the development of a solar farm on a site of approximately 7.6 hectares in the area.
Solar Farm was seeking a ten-year permission and a 35-year operational period from the date of overall commissioning of the solar farm.
The application is currently being assessed by WCC prior to a decision being made.
However, also included in the application made by the Kilkenny-based company were details regarding a public consultation with those most directly impacted by the potential farm. In its 'Report Outlining the Steps Taken for Public Consultation', Solar Now states that it 'undertook several steps in order to establish a consultation process for this project; to publicise the project; to directly notify the community of the development; and to highlight the benefits of a project like Ballyvaldon Solar Farm to the wider community.'
Listing 24 addresses in the area, complete with Eircodes, Solar Now states that 'the community were notified directly by post of the consultation process established for this development' and that the addresses listed received invitation letters to a public meeting held in the Wexford Enterprise Centre on April 14.
That public meeting was intended to 'give the local community the opportunity to speak directly with the developers, to provide a forum for Q&A, and to provide images of the proposed development and how it would appear to the local community once established'.
However, those residing at the addresses listed say they did not receive any letter from Solar Now and were not made aware of its intention to build a solar farm in their area until the five-week period to make submissions or appeals had elapsed.
At the June meeting of the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District (GKMD) Councillor Oliver Walsh relayed a message he had received from those living in Blackwater and its surrounds.
'A lot of the people whose Eircodes were on the planning applications have since told me they didn't know a thing about it,' said Cllr Walsh. 'I have no reason to doubt them whatsoever. And now the time for making submissions has passed. The public meeting took place in Wexford town which wasn't ideal either. Is there any way those people can now make a submission?'
Executive planner with WCC, Tom Banville, said he couldn't comment directly on the case as it was a 'live application', but advised that it was now 'too late' to make a submission or an appeal regarding it.
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'They're adamant about this,' continued Cllr Walsh. 'Do they not have any recourse at all?'
'They can issue appeal to An Bord Pleanála (ABP) once a decision on whether to grant the application has been made by WCC,' replied Mr Banville.
Solar Now have been contacted for comment.
