800 panel solar farm is planned.
One of the county’s most famous and historic hotels has applied to Cavan County Council for permission to install an 800 panel solar farm within the grounds.
Kingscourt Castle Ltd has applied for Cabra Castle, Cormey, Kingscourt to install a “photovoltaic generating system” consisting of a series of “ground mounted” solar panels and roof mounted panels.
The stated goal of the plan is to help balance the property’s reliance on fossil fuels as well as help lower running costs.
Each of the 800 ground mounted panels will measure one meter by 1.7 meters in diameter, and will be placed in an area located northwest of the castle, a protected structure. The works include connection to an existing sub-station building.
An assessment of the proposed development was prepared by Niall Smith Architects for the owners of Cabra Castle, the Corscadden family.
The report, made in October this year said the owners wanted to make the property “less dependent on fossil fuels” by using solar energy and making it “useful electricity”.
“Most of the accommodation at Cabra Castle consists of really old buildings with little thermal insulation built into the same fabric. It is not easya an increase in the level of quality and quality. in real interiors. The building is thus not very efficient in terms of thermal efficiency by current standards and it requires a lot of energy to heat the building and provide the necessary range of services”.
The report goes on to say that the proposed installation of solar panels “will help to solve” this situation because the “green energy” generated will reduce the carbon footprint of the building “significantly and also help with the costs of run”.
It added: “It goes without saying that direct south facing sunlight is essential for Solar Panel installations to work well”.
The site, the report added, was “almost identical” to the main entrance to the castle. “The applicants are well aware of the importance of not affecting negatively the castle or its views, including from the approach road”.
In order to reduce the visual impact it is also proposed to carry out “some earthworks” to facilitate lowering the height of the top of the hill so that the panels “can be absorbed more evenly”.
The proposed excavations will involve “reshaping the site” so that two “levelish plains” are formed. The excavated material will be moved to the edge of the site to form an “earth-berm” to help “visually screen” the installation of the panel.
“The angle of the proposed installation in relation to the castle building should result in a minimal glare effect as it is visible from the few windows on the upper floor. The panels should be placed on the ground to be low as far as possible on the ground to minimize the visual impact of the same”.
The decision on the application is due in early December.