Residents’ anger at proposed solar farm beside their homes

RESIDENTS living along a narrow rural lane in Co Carlow are up in arms over plans by a French-owned renewable energy company to build a 30-acre solar farm that would come within 15 feet of their homes, with concerns centering on construction disruption and potential access issues.

The solar farm development by EDF Renewables Ireland is located in the townland of Johnstown, Bennekerry, approximately six kilometres southeast of Carlow town. Known as Johnstown Solar Park, it would span 30 acres near a residential lane of seven properties.

According to EDF, a planning application is expected to be submitted this summer, with construction potentially beginning in mid-2028 and completion scheduled for 2030, subject to planning permission.

Local resident Geraldine Hendricken, who has lived in the area for nearly 20 years, expressed significant concerns about the proposal. “This lane has nine houses on it – everybody driving down that lane will be exposed to the sight of 30 acres of solar panels all facing towards Mount Leinster,” she said. 

“All we’re going to really see is the back of these big structures. Two houses in particular – mine is one and my neighbour’s is the second – these solar panels are going to be coming up within ten or 15 feet of our garden fence.” 

Geraldine emphasised that the main objection isn’t about not liking the aesthetics of a solar farm, saying she is aware that property owners generally do not have an automatic right to a view. “It’s about the complete two years of disruption that would occur during construction,” she said.

“The big bone of contention,” she stated, is the potential disruption caused by access to the proposed site, which is via a three-metre-wide public lane serving all the local properties.

“There’s only one public lane in and out. How are they going to get all of their machinery in? The lane is literally the width of one car. So you can imagine the disturbance.

“It’s a single lane, which is about 300 metres long; there are seven properties on that lane, and two more farmhouses are across the cattle grid at the end of that lane.” 

Geraldine also expressed concerns about potential environmental and safety issues. “We’ve obviously got concerns about if there’s a battery storage element to it – that would be a huge fire hazard – and the fact that other solar farms have been refused planning for this reason. And there are other environmental impacts, not just what the sight of it looks like, but also in terms of the run-off into the water. If there’s any kind of a fracture of panels, you have poison going off from the metal cadmium,” she claimed.

Residents were troubled by what they perceived as inadequate engagement from the company, says Geraldine.

“I believe that they’re looking for planning permission in May. And it seems like we got a letter in our post box last week and it’s almost like they’re trying to catch us out. We don’t have a chance to figure out how to react to it,” Geraldine said. “There has been no interaction with any of the residents. Putting a letter through your post boxes is not how you engage.” 

When asked if there had been any community drop-in clinic, she replied, “No, nothing. The first we heard about this was last Thursday (3 April).” 

She added, “The consensus from the few people I’ve spoken to is that this is like you’re being ambushed, that you don’t have enough time, because obviously there are several people who would like to object to this development going forward, but we need to have information so that we can have grounds for objection.” 

The impact on property values is another significant worry. “You can imagine the value of our property is more than likely going to be affected,” Geraldine noted, “and pretty much I would imagine that every single property on that lane is worth three-quarters of a million at least, if not more.” 

She questioned why this specific location was selected. “I just don’t understand why they picked that particular site when there are loads of fields in the area and people would not be affected to this extent. They could easily pick a site and put it in the middle of a farm where nobody else can see it.

“There must be somewhere else – if they want to expand, this is not the location to be in,” she added.

Geraldine also described seeing preliminary work already taking place. “The fact that they have already surveyed the field – that’s not a level of engagement,” she said, describing seeing people “already mapping out where they’re going to fit these solar panels with these long rods”.

In response, a spokesman for EDF Renewables Ireland stated that the company plans to host a community information clinic about the Johnstown Solar Park at a local venue later this spring.

“At this clinic, which will be advertised in local media and to which all local residents will be invited, we will provide more information about the proposed solar park and answer any questions residents may have, including details relating to the community benefit fund,” the spokesperson said.

The company confirmed that information about the project is available on its website, and that residents can contact it directly using details provided in the information leaflet that was distributed. It also confirmed that a planning application had not yet been submitted but is planned for this summer.

EDF Renewables Ireland currently operates solar farms in neighbouring counties Wexford and Kilkenny. According to its website: ‘Once the project is nearing construction, we will devise a comprehensive construction and traffic management plan in order to minimise any disruption to local residents.’ 

Local councillors have reportedly been supportive of her concerns, according to Geraldine, who added that residents have formed a WhatsApp group to discuss the issue and coordinate their response to the proposed development.

“We are now trying to do some research. I feel like they’re just trying to ambush us because it’s on such short notice. I would really doubt their intentions to be fair to people. I think it’s disgraceful.”