Land under enforcement notice not to be included in solar farm plans

THE company proposing a large-scale solar farm in Abbeyknockmoy and Monivea has decided to remove land facing an enforcement notice from the project.

Power Capitals Renewable Energy (PCRE) is proposing to build the Belville Solar Farm on almost 900 acres of land. During a pre-application public consultation, the company had revealed a map showcasing the potential land folios that would be part of the project.

This map also included a folio of land in the Oakwood South area, that was subject to an enforcement notice issued by Galway County Council regarding alleged unauthorised works carried out on the land earlier this year.

In response to a query raised by The Tuam Herald, PCRE have now clarified that the land folio will be dropped out of the project proposal.

“Following engagement with relevant statutory authorities, including Galway County Council, to ascertain the extent of current enforcement action at Oakwood South, the full land folio which is subject to an enforcement notice will be removed from the proposed Bellville solar farm development," said a spokesperson for PCRE.

“The planning application which will be submitted to Galway County Council will reflect this update.”

The Abbeyknockmoy and Monivea Against Solar Sprawl (AMASS) community group, which was set up in response to the planned Belville Solar Farm, had raised concerns relating to alleged communication between the County Council's enforcement team and PCRE’s representatives, where PCRE allegedly stated that they were going to submit a planning application which included all or some of the land that are subject to the enforcement notice.

“The Bellville project has caused deep division, stress and distrust across the parish, and the company’s handling of public communication has become a central issue in its own right,” said an AMASS spokesperson.

“The newly available correspondence raises fresh questions about whether the public was misled when Oakwood South was publicly presented as being outside PCRE’s plans."