€141 Million Solar Farm In North-West Kildare Stalled Amid Badger Concerns

Tuesday, 14 January 2025 20:44

The solar farm is planned for the townlands Cadamstown, Ballina, Clonuff and Garrisker

Concerns regarding the future of badgers have caused delays in the approval process for a proposed €141 million, 118 MW solar farm on a 428-acre site spanning the townlands of Cadamstown, Ballina, Clonuff, and Garrisker in North-West Kildare.

Cadamstown Solar Ltd. is seeking planning permission from Kildare County Council to build the solar farm across 39 fields of agricultural land.

The proposal has faced local opposition, and the Council has paused the application, requesting additional information on several aspects of the project.

One of the Council's main concerns is the potential impact on badgers living on the site.

According to documents submitted with the application, two badger setts are present within the proposed development area.

As badgers are protected under the Wildlife Acts, the Council has informed the applicants that the Department of Heritage has deemed their proposed mitigation measures inadequate to ensure the protection of the badgers and their setts.

The Council has requested a full assessment of the badger setts and their potential impacts, in order to guide the planning decision and ensure badger protection, possibly through planning conditions.

The Council has emphasized that "mitigation by avoidance" should be the first step in the mitigation process, which involves preventing harm from the outset.

They also stressed the importance of determining the role of the two setts within the badger’s territory and the need for alternative setts in the area to allow any displaced badgers to find suitable refuge.

Over 50 objections have been submitted against the solar farm proposal.

In a planning report submitted on behalf of the applicants, it is argued that the development will provide a stable and diversified revenue stream for landowners while enhancing the ecological value of the site and preserving its potential for future agricultural use.

The report also claims that the solar farm would significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuel generation, contributing to County Kildare's renewable energy goals.

To support the project, the planning report highlights that the design of the solar farm has been carefully considered to minimize visual and landscape impacts within the county.

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