Retention planning permission sought for solar farm in Limerick

THE developers behind a solar farm project in West Limerick are seeking retrospective planning permission after the installation was built in a slightly different location to that originally approved.

It comes after the existing development was constructed in a “marginally different” location to that for which the firm had planning permission.

J O’Connell (Crecora) secured planning permission in 2023 for the erection of 3,905 square metres of solar panels at its manufacturing site in Castlemahon.

Following this, the animal feeds firm stated that it hoped it would in time “help in a small way to minimise our carbon footprint and the huge electricity cost increases that we were subject to in recent years.”

"As always these savings are passed onto our customers by delivering quality feed at a fair price,” the firm added.

The development was described as a 500 kilowatt ground-mounted system.

However, J O’Connell (Crecora) has now gone back to Limerick City and County Council to seek what is known as retention planning permission due to what is described as a “modest repositioning” of its solar farm.

Retention planning permission is often sought when development has already taken place but differs in some way from the planning permission originally granted.

J O’Connell (Crecora) is now looking for this permission to retain the 1,120-panel solar farm.

But its current application has been deemed invalid.

This is because the applicant sought to have it dealt with as a Red III project.

Red stands for Renewable Energy Directive, and it’s a new European Union planning framework designed to accelerate the approval of renewable energy projects.

Limerick City and County Council ruled that since the developer is seeking retention permission, it cannot be dealt with as a Red III application.

J O’Connell (Crecora) did not return a request for comment from the Limerick Leader.

Separately, the same company is also seeking permission from local planners to build another 900 solar panels on the same site.

Unlike its retention planning application, this has been deemed valid, and will be covered under the Red III designation.

Limerick City and County Council is scheduled to make a decision on this new application by Saturday, October 10, next.

John O'Connell founded Crecora Mills in the 1980s, and has a customer base across the Mid-West.

The genesis of the business came after he began making animal feed around that time as an attempt to diversify his family’s business during a time of economic hardship.

The firm is still based at its original location in Crecora, with its second base, in Castlemahon, coming on stream in 2007.