Gibson Farm (6.4 MW solar farm)
Gibson Farm is a 6.4 MW solar farm project in Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 28 February 2018; the record was last updated on 4 September 2018.
6.4 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
4 September 2018record last updated
Antrim and Newtownabbeycouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 4 December 2015 | Application submitted |
| 26 July 2016 | Planning permission granted |
| 11 December 2017 | Construction started |
| 28 February 2018 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 6.4 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 4 September 2018
- Operator or applicant
- Lightsource Renewable Energy
- Planning authority
- Antrim and Newtownabbey
- Planning application reference
- LA03/2015/0655/F
- Site area
- 15.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Land at Gibson Farm, Sealstown Road, Newtownabbey
- Council area (by location)
- Antrim and Newtownabbey
- Time to decision
- 34 weeks
- REPD reference
- 5977
Who decides
| Applications | Antrim and Newtownabbey | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 40 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 8 (20%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 4 of 14 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 3 of 19 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 1 of 7 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 48.1 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 7 / 3 | — |
UK: all UK planning authorities. Counted under these REPD planning authority names: Antrim and Newtownabbey, South Antrim.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballyutoag Wind Farm | wind farm | 11.5 | approved, not built | 3.3 |
| Sealstown Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 6.7 | abandoned | 4.4 |
| Doagh Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 5 | appeal withdrawn | 5.4 |
| Lands West of Belfast Road | solar farm | 10 | operational | 7.7 |
| South of Ballysculty | solar farm | 6.2 | refused on appeal | 8.1 |
| Carn Hill | wind farm | 13.8 | operational | 9.1 |
| Elliot's Hill Wind Farm | wind farm | 5 | operational | 9.7 |
Status and dates as recorded in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract); the database is compiled from public sources and can lag behind council decisions. Location: REPD grid reference (54.6754, -6.016).