Eoghan Dalton Reports
Residents in the north county Waterford area have appealed for people opposing the development of a solar farm to officially lodge their stance by close of business this Wednesday, April 24th.Planning has been submitted by BNRGN Mothel Ltd for a development consisting of a total of 195,000 square metres, or 48 acres, at two sites in the townlands of Curraghduff and Mothel.
The larger development is to be comprised of photovoltaic panels on steel frames on an area of approximately 145,000 square metres (35 acres), up to 24 battery storage containers and up to four inverter/transformer stations. It will be situated in Curraghduff.
If planning is granted the Mothel development would be comprised of photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames on an area of approximately 50,000 square metres (over 12 acres).
Concerned: cycling legend and Mothel native, Sean Kelly
The two proposed developments will be linked and will would have a 30 year operational life.
Two public meetings have been held to date in Clonea Power to discuss the project while the Mothel / Curraghduff Solar Farm Action Group has been formed to oppose the development.
Cycling legend Sean Kelly has joined the fray over the past week, due to owning land beside the solar development for Mothel.
“It’s the worst place it could be,” he told this newspaper. “This should be out of view of the main road but instead it’s going to be visible from the road to Dungarvan (the R677).”
Kelly added that that there are concerns around the visual impact the development will have and the knock-on effect it will have on the price of property.Some of the main objections to the plan, as explained by Curraghduff resident Vincent Kelly, Sean’s brother, include that the solar farms will be surrounded by a fence measuring roughly 10 feet in height. He has described this as “industrialising” a rural area. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the closing date for submissions on the proposed development.
