Councillors want solar farm ban until guidelines drawn up

The Government is to be asked to prevent the further building of solar energy farms in County Cork until proper guidelines are put in place for their design and operation.

Cork county councillors voted unanimously to send the request to the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government after hearing concerns that too many are being planned and some are being located in the wrong places.

The debate in County Hall was led by members of the Bandon/Kinsale municipal district council, who cited the case of a 20-acre solar farm near Kinsale which was recently granted planning permission by the local authority.