An Coimisiún Pleanála have granted permission for a 615 acre solar farm in Laois, with 14 conditions attached.

Ørsted Onshore Ireland Midco Limited was granted planning permission for the 249 hectare, or 615 acre, solar farm by Laois County Council in September 2025, across Morett, Killone, Cappakeel, Rossmore and Raheennahown North near Emo.

The decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála by Tom Kerney Tom & Clair Milner, Damien McCarthy, Shane and Ailish Mooney, David Hainsworth and others in October 2025.

In 2025, the Leinster Express / Laois Live spoke with locals who objected to the development, and Ørsted representatives on their concerns. Read the story here.

Pictured: landscape plans for the development of the 600 acre solar farm in Laois submitted to Laois County Council

The solar farm is to be built on five parcels of land belonging to 13 consenting landowners. The development will consist of a 10-year permission and 40-year operational life.

It will feature 1,796,838 square metres of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames; 44 hardstandings for electrical skids and storage; underground power and communication cables and ducts and 22,753 metres of fencing surrounding the area.

A whopping 86 submissions were made to the Council related to the solar farm.

Of the 14 conditions attached to the development by An Coimisiún Pleanála, one states that prior to any works commencing, a full decommissioning statement and plan must be provided to the planning authority.

Pictured: File photo of solar farm

The developers must provide a detailed restoration plan and a timescale for its implementation, providing for the removal of the solar arrays, including all foundations, anchors, concrete shoes, inverter/transformer stations, control building, CCTV cameras, fencing and site access to a specific timescale.

The site shall be restored in accordance with this plan and all decommissioned structures shall be removed within three months of decommissioning.

Other conditions state that the development must be carried out in line with planning, ecological and environmental regulations related to glint and glares from the solar panels, archaeology, landscape and visual assessments, flood risk assessments, heritage reports and more.

The authority stated that this permission shall not be construed as any form of consent or agreement to a connection to the national grid or to the routing or nature of any such connection.

No artificial lighting shall be installed or operated on site unless authorised by a prior grant of planning permission.

CCTV cameras shall be fixed and angled to face into the site and shall not be directed towards adjoining property or the road.

The solar panels shall have driven or screw pile foundations only, unless otherwise authorised by a separate grant of planning permission. Cables within the site shall be located underground.

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The permission shall be for a period of 40 years from the date of the commissioning of the solar array.

The solar array and related ancillary structures shall then be decommissioned and removed unless, prior to the end of the period, planning permission shall have been granted for their continuance for a further period.

In their initial submission for planning approval from Laois County Council, Ørsted informed the Council that due to variables in solar conditions and technology, they were unable to give planners an exact figure of how much power would be generated.