Solar farm plan scaled back to ease fears of residents

PLANS for a 140 acre solar farm on the outskirts of Coleraine have been scaled back to alleviate concerns of neighbouring householders.

As reported by the Chronicle in February, the green energy scheme on a site bordering the Ring Road, Newmills Road and Ballyrashane Road covers an area the equivalent to 100 football pitches.

At the time the firm behind the proposal had just conducted a pre-application consultation.

And last week a full planing application was lodged.

Dunluce Developments says the solar farm will provide enough clean energy to power 8000 homes.

However three families on Newmills feared the proposal, as it stood, would have “completely surrounded” their homes with solar panels.

Details of the amended plans have emerged with documents accompanying the full planning application.

A consultants report describes how discussions with local residents at the community engagement event led to direct on-site meetings with some of the residents who raised concerns.

The applicant's team presented an amended layout that removed in excess of 6.75 acres of panels from the development areas adjacent to the residential properties and also included substantial landscaping proposals to mitigate any impact on views from the properties as well as on views from the local roads.

Read the full story in this week's Chronicle.