Knockcairn Road (6.5 MW solar farm)
Knockcairn Road is a 6.5 MW solar farm project in Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 15 March 2017; the record was last updated on 3 May 2017.
6.5 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
3 May 2017record last updated
Antrim and Newtownabbeycouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 26 February 2014 | Application submitted |
| 26 June 2014 | Planning permission granted |
| 21 November 2016 | Construction started |
| 15 March 2017 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 6.5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 3 May 2017
- Operator or applicant
- Lightsource Renewable Energy
- Planning authority
- Antrim and Newtownabbey
- Planning application reference
- T/2014/0066/F
- Address (REPD)
- 20 Knockcairn Road, Crumlin
- Council area (by location)
- Antrim and Newtownabbey
- Time to decision
- 17 weeks
- REPD reference
- 1789
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moira Road | solar farm | 6.5 | operational | 1.5 |
| Lands West of Belfast Road | solar farm | 10 | operational | 4.5 |
| Hillside Solar Farm | solar farm | 25.2 | operational | 5.5 |
| South of Ballysculty | solar farm | 6.2 | refused on appeal | 7.1 |
| Colinglen Road Battery | battery storage | 49.9 | application submitted | 8.8 |
| Seegronan Wind Farm Extension | wind farm | 9 | approved, not built | 9.0 |
| Seegronan | wind farm | 13.8 | operational | 9.0 |
| Battery Energy Storage System Facility in Antrim | battery storage | 50 | approved, not built | 9.1 |
| Battery Storage System Development in Lisburn | battery storage | 150 | approved, not built | 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 (54.6088, -6.1672).