Planning sought for solar panels at Cork's historic Fota House 

A planning application for the installation of solar panels and heat pumps at Fota House has been submitted to Cork County Council.

The application, lodged by the Irish Heritage Trust (IHT), is seeking permission to install an 82sq.m ground-mounted photovoltaic array at the protected structure in Carrigtwohill.

The panels would be placed to the west of the house, approximately 230 metres from its front façade. 

The proposed panels would be connected by underground cabling, linked to the building’s existing electrical system.

The plans also include three air-to-water heat pumps, which would be installed on a concrete pad in the rear yard, beside the existing plant room and boiler room. 

The cable route would run underground for almost 200 metres across the lawn before entering the house.

An archaeological assessment says there are no known archaeological features at the proposed panel location, along the cable route, or where the heat pumps would be installed.

However, it does say that buried remains “cannot be ruled out” due to previous archaeological discoveries elsewhere on Fota Island.

The IHT, which has managed Fota House since 2007, outlined measures that would be taken to ensure the project would not impact the visual beauty of the venue.

A conservation report submitted with the application says the solar array would sit behind an existing screen of trees and would not be visible from the structure, with additional plans for the planting of semi-mature trees to strengthen the screening. 

The report further says the equipment has been positioned to keep its effect on the house’s heritage significance to a minimum. 

Cork County Council is due to decide on the application by October 5.