Four wind turbines and battery storage facility built on agricultural land near Grange

The Planning Application is subject to Section 34D of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and in accordance with Article 16(2) of the Renewable Energy Directive III (Directive 2023/2413) i.e. Completeness Check. Permission for a 10 year planning permission for the proposed development of a wind farm on a site area of 27.4 hectares in the townlands of Townlands of Carrowkeel, Longfield, Kilmass, Grange, Rahara, Co. Roscommon. The proposed development for which permission is sought will comprise: • Four (4) wind turbines with an overall blade tip height of 184.55 metres (m) to 185m, a rotor diameter of 149.1m to 163m, a hub height of 103.5m to 110m, and associated foundations, hard-standing and assembly areas; • A permanent 38kV on-site electrical substation within a compound area of 1,034m² to consist of: a control building containing welfare facilities, all associated electrical plant and equipment, perimeter security fencing, entrance gates, underground cabling, a wastewater holding tank, a rainwater harvesting tank, parking, lighting and lightning protection mast 18m in height; and all associated infrastructure and services including CCTV and signage; • A permanent Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) within an area of 1,014m² adjacent to the substation, to consist of 32 Battery units, 4 PCS (Power Conversion System) inverters, 2 PCS MV (Medium Voltage) transformers connected to the HV (High Voltage) substation transformer, and perimeter security fencing; • Upgrade of an existing agricultural entrance from the R362 Regional Road for use as a permanent site entrance by all vehicular traffic during construction and operation; • Upgrade of approximately 700m of existing internal agricultural access tracks, to include passing bays for internal site traffic and all associated drainage; • Approximately 2,400m of new internal permanent access tracks, to include passing bays for internal site traffic and all associated drainage; • Re-use of approximately 17,595m³, of excavated peat for landscaping within the site to a maximum height of 0.5m and subsequent re-vegetation; • A temporary site compound within an area of 4,000m², containing temporary site offices, waste storage areas, parking areas and perimeter security fencing; • A meteorological mast with a height of 36m and associated foundation; • Temporary and permanent drainage and sediment control systems; • Felling of approximately 5.5ha of forestry to facilitate construction and operation of the proposed wind farm; • Biodiversity enhancement measures to include replanting of 2.42ha of trees and 1,240m of hedgerows on-site; • All associated underground electrical and communications cabling connecting the wind turbines to the wind farm substation running under or along the internal road network; • All related site works and ancillary development including landscaping, soil excavation and site signage. A 35-year operational life from the date of full commissioning of the entire wind farm is being sought for all works (other than the temporary and permanent works specified above), and the subsequent decommissioning. The proposed onsite substation and grid connection will remain permanent infrastructure and form part of the national grid network. In addition to the proposed development listed above, the following related development will be subject to a future planning application(s): • A 38kV Grid Connection comprising approximately 18.8 km of underground cable from the proposed wind farm substation to the consented 110kV substation at Taduff, Co. Roscommon crossing the following townlands: Long eld, Kilmass, Carrowkeel, Rahara, Lyster eld, Gortnasoolboy, Coolnageer, Carrick, Derryglad, Gortnasythe, Atteagh, Ratawragh, Mullagh, Knocknanool, Corrantotan, Ballymulvahill, Rooskagh, Cloonakille and Bellanamullia, Co. Roscommon. • A Turbine Delivery Route (TDR) along which temporary accommodation works will be required at the following locations: the Connolly Avenue junction with the R336 in Galway City and at other locations in the townlands of Ballymullavill, Ratawragh, Atteagh, Derryglad, Carrick, Coolnagear and Rahara, Co. Roscommon. This development is covered by the provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive III (Directive (EU) 2023/2413). The planning application is subject to Section 34D of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Where a notice issues in accordance with Section 34D(b), the provisions of Article 26A of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, shall apply. Certain details of the proposed development are unconfirmed in the planning application and an opinion on unconfirmed details from Roscommon County Council issued pursuant to Section 32I of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) accompanies this planning application (Reference: DFR/25/2) The details unconfirmed in this application are the turbine tip height, rotor diameter and hub height. The range of parameters under which the turbine dimensions will fall are specified on this notice. The application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) prepared in respect of the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Proposed Development, the Grid Connection and works to the TDR. The proposed development is in the townlands of