Community feedback update - BNRG Maganey

As part of the ongoing community consultation process for the proposed Maganey solar development, we have been listening closely to feedback and questions from local residents.

The answers below are intended to provide clear, accessible information at this initial stage of the project. 

More detailed information, including maps, assessments and technical reports, will be available over the coming months as the project progresses and evolves.

1. How close will the solar panels be to nearby homes?

The project layout is being finalised as part of the planning application process and will incorporate feedback from local residents as well as a suite of comprehensive assessments. 

Reflecting standard industry practice for solar farm design, the proposed layout is expected to apply a buffer of 50 metres from the wall of a habitable house (excluding sheds or garages) or 35 metres from the residential curtilage, whichever is greater.

The final planning drawings will show the proposed position of the solar panels and associated infrastructure in relation to nearby homes, roads, and site boundaries.

2. Where will the inverters, substation and other electrical infrastructure be located?

The detailed layout of the proposed development is being finalised and will be included in the planning application. This will show the proposed location of the solar panels, inverters, substation, entrances and other associated infrastructure. The layout remains subject to finalisation as part of the planning application process, including resident feedback.

At this stage, 19 inverters are proposed across the site. Their final position, along with other infrastructure, will be shown in the planning drawings submitted as part of the application.

The project is expected to use central inverters rather than smaller string inverters. Central inverters are larger, centralised units that serve multiple strings of panels from a single location on site. This means fewer inverters are required across the site, allowing them to be positioned further away from properties than would be the case with a larger number of smaller, more distributed inverters.

The location of the battery storage is on the eastern side of the south site of the solar farm. On the preliminary designs provided, the BESS units can be seen next to the substation. 

The exact final positioning of infrastructure will be informed by feedback received from nearby residents as well as site conditions, including land suitability, screening, environmental considerations. 

3. Will photomontages and visual impact information be included in the planning application?

Yes. Photomontages and a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment are being prepared by MacroWorks, specialists in such assessments, and will be included as part of the planning application.

Photomontages will include selected viewpoints from the surrounding area, including around Kilkea Castle and nearby roads. The purpose of the photomontages is to help show how the proposed development may appear from representative public viewpoints. 

A separate Glint and Glare Assessment is also being prepared and will be included in the planning application. This will assess the potential for solar reflectance effects on nearby properties and transport routes. Solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight rather than reflect it, to maximise efficiency.

Existing hedgerows will be retained and enhanced where possible, with additional planting and landscaping proposed where appropriate to provide screening and help integrate the development into the surrounding rural landscape.

4. What screening and landscaping are proposed?

Screening and landscaping will form an important part of the proposed development. Existing boundary hedgerows will be retained as far as possible, with additional native hedgerow planting proposed to support screening and to enhance biodiversity in the local area.

The proposed mitigation planting is expected to include native hedgerow species found in the local area. Example species include holly, hawthorn, blackthorn, Scots pine, hazel, and alder. New planting may include under-planting along existing hedgerows, inter-planting to fill gaps, and new sections of hedgerow.

Proposed planting would be carried out in the first growing season before the development begins. Hedgerows are expected to reach full height (approximately 3 to 4 metres high) within 2 to 3 years and would then be maintained at that height.

The final planting proposals will be developed with the project ecologist and included in the planning application.

5. Which roads will be used during construction and how will traffic be managed?

The primary route for HGVs is expected to be the M9, R448, L4012, L8084 and L8091. The anticipated volume, timing and management of construction traffic will be set out in the site-specific Traffic Management Plan and Construction Management Plan which will be submitted as part of the planning application to Kildare County Council.

Four site entrances are currently proposed for the development, which would be used during both the construction and operational phases. The final entrance locations and access arrangements will be shown in the planning application drawings and addressed in the Traffic Management Plan and Construction Management Plan.

A Temporary Traffic Management Plan will be in place during relevant construction works. This will set out work locations and phasing, traffic signage, arrangements for pedestrians and cyclists, any lane closures or temporary speed restrictions, diversion routes where required, and procedures to maintain emergency access. A community liaison will be available to answer any questions during the build.

Where works are required within public roads, BNRG will be required to apply to Kildare County Council for the relevant road opening licence and comply with any conditions imposed by the road authority. These may address working hours, traffic management, pedestrian access, advance notice and road reinstatement standards.

Local residents will be notified in advance of all relevant construction activity, such as temporary lane closures or the delivery of larger components. Where required, banksmen will be used at site entrances to help manage construction traffic.

Measures will also be put in place to limit dirt or soil being brought onto public roads. A road sweeper will be used if required during the construction phase.

Once operational, the development is expected to generate minimal traffic, as solar farms do not require daily on-site staffing. The site will continue to be monitored and maintained throughout its operational life, with routine maintenance visits expected approximately once or twice per month, and additional visits arranged as required.

6. What will the construction hours be and how will noise be managed?

Construction working hours will be agreed with the planning authority before any works begin. It is currently anticipated that construction activity would be limited to standard working hours, Monday to Saturday. Final construction timing will depend on the planning process and subsequent construction programming.

Works on Sundays or public holidays would only take place in exceptional circumstances and, where possible, nearby residents would be notified in advance.

All site noise sources will cumulatively operate to the best practice EPA recommended noise limits during daytime, evening and night-time. All equipment installed as part of the proposed development will be required to comply with the relevant national and international standards.

Noise levels will be assessed and included as part of the planning application, alongside the Construction Management Plan and Construction Environmental Management Plan. This assessment will consider the existing background noise levels in the area and assess potential noise sources associated with the proposed development, such as inverters, transformers and substation infrastructure. The final noise modelling will be based on the specific proposed site layout.

Solar panels themselves do not have mechanical movements and do not generate operational noise. The noise emissions associated with the site will be primarily during daytime hours.

Noise modelling will predict noise levels from all site noise sources at individual nearby sensitive receptors, using conservative worst-case assumptions. There will be no tonal or impulsive noise emissions associated with the site audible at any sensitive receptor. It is also standard practice to undertake post-completion noise monitoring where required, to confirm that noise levels at nearby sensitive receptors remain within the applicable limits.

7. How will environmental, biodiversity, drainage and archaeology impacts be assessed? 

A number of environmental and technical assessments are being prepared and will be included in the planning application. These include an Appropriate Assessment Screening, Natura Impact Statement, Ecological Impact Assessment, Biodiversity Enhancement Management Plan, and Construction Environmental Management Plan.

The project team is also preparing biodiversity enhancement measures. These are expected to include additional native planting, strengthened hedgerows, woodland mix planting, wild grass verges and ecological corridors across the site. These measures are intended to support screening while also improving habitat connectivity and biodiversity value over time.

There will be no overall increase in surface water discharge from the site.

Detailed hydrology and flood-risk assessments are also being carried out to understand the existing drainage conditions across the site and inform the proposed drainage design. 

Solar farms are largely permeable developments with limited hard surfacing and therefore generally have a low impact on surface water runoff. The proposed site drainage is being designed to minimise impact on the receiving environment. Water treatment measures are proposed for runoff from internal access tracks and hardstanding areas.

Further details on drainage, hydrology and surface water management will be included in the planning application documentation.

Geophysical surveys carried out under licence with the National Monuments Service have also identified potential areas of archaeology. These have been assessed by archaeology specialists, and the site layout is being designed to allow for generous buffer areas and to avoid areas where no development should take place. In other areas where there is some archaeological potential, panels may be placed only where this can be done without sub-surface works, for example by using concrete shoes rather than ground penetration. An archaeologist will also be present during construction. 

Where appropriate, further test trenching may be carried out if planning permission is granted, and the layout will be reviewed if that work identifies any further constraints.

8. What happens at the end of the solar farm’s operational life?

The proposed solar farm is expected to have a design life of up to 40 years which is industry standard at this time. At the end of its operational life, the site would be decommissioned and the land restored. The project will be obliged under planning law to restore the site following the expiration of the planning consent.

A comprehensive Decommissioning Plan will form part of the Construction Environmental Management Plan. This will set out how the site would be decommissioned and how materials would be managed at the end of the project’s life. A financial payment will also be made to the local authority to fund the restoration of the site to its original condition.

Solar panels and other materials would be dealt with in accordance with the environmental and recycling regulations in place at the time of decommissioning, using approved recycling companies where required. The land will be restored to its original use following decommissioning.