The charity that operates the Glendalough Hermitage Centre has submitted a new planning application to Wicklow County Council seeking permission to change the layout and location of its previously approved solar energy project.
The proposal aims to improve the performance of the centre’s renewable energy system by moving ground mounted panels to a brighter part of the site and adding new roof mounted arrays on three buildings.
The Hermitage Centre, run by the religious charity Suaimhneas Chaoimhin, received permission in 2024 for an 84 panel solar array.
That installation has not yet been built. In the new application, architect Noel Quinn says the approved location is unsuitable because the panels would be heavily shaded by trees and surrounding vegetation.
In his cover letter, he explains that “the original location suffers from significant shading due to existing foliage, compounded by neighbouring trees that heavily overshadow the site”, and that relocating the panels will “optimiee solar yield and overall energy efficiency”.
The charity proposes to divide the array into two parallel rows in a different part of the grounds, where sunlight is stronger, and the panels would remain screened from public view by vegetation and boundary walls.
Alongside the revised ground array, the application seeks permission to install solar panels on the roof of the Coach House and on the roofs of two newly built hermitage units.
Mr Quinn says these buildings are already largely hidden from the public road and that the new panels “will be barely noticeable”, adding that the changes will not affect the visual character of the area.
The Hermitage Centre’s cottages and retreat spaces are used for prayer, reflection and spiritual stays, and the charity says the solar upgrade will help reduce energy costs and support its long‑term operation.
The site covers just under one hectare at Brockagh, Laragh, and is leased from the Laurence O’Toole Diocesan Trust. A letter of owner consent is included in the application. The charity has declared full compliance with the Charities Governance Code.
Its stated purpose is the advancement of religion and the provision of a place of spirituality, healing and pilgrimage.
The planning form confirms that the proposal does not involve any new floor space, demolition or changes to how the centre operates. The site is not a protected structure, is not within an architectural conservation area and is not near a recorded monument or European site.
No environmental impact assessment is required. The development does not trigger Part V because it does not involve housing.
The application is being made under updated renewable energy rules linked to the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive III.
These rules can introduce faster timelines for certain solar projects, though the council must first issue a formal notice before those procedures apply.
The form notes that the application may be subject to section 34D of the Planning and Development Act, which sets out how accelerated processing works for renewable developments.
The local authority is due to make a decision by October 21.
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