2023:583 - Cloonbannin West, Cork
County: Cork
Site name: Cloonbannin West
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 23E0714
Author: Bruce Sutton
Author/Organisation Address: Unit 2, Europa Business Park, Midleton, Co. Cork, P25 TV25
Site type: Test-trenching
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 528188m, N 597655m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.126100, -9.048785
A programme of archaeological test trenching was undertaken in the townland of Cloonbannin West, Mallow, Co. Cork. These works were undertaken for McCutcheon Halley Planning (Cork).
The proposed development site is located north of Derinagree at the junction between the N72 and regional Newmarket road and covered an area of 10.06ha. It comprises a 10-year permission for a PV farm consisting of approximately 9,464 photovoltaic panels on ground-mounted frames with 16 string inverters within the site, 1 single-storey inverter/transformer station, 1 single-storey spare-parts storage container, 1 delivery station, upgrading of existing agricultural entrance, internal access tracks, security fencing, CCTV, landscaping and all associated development site works including a temporary construction compound.
The site has been subject to a geophysical survey (23R0317), which identified no definite signs of archaeology, and an AIA. This recommended that test-trenching be undertaken, which would then inform further recommendations.
Forty-nine trenches were excavated, totalling 2,347 linear meters.
No archaeological features and/or deposits were noted during the test-trenching. Earlier identified geophysical anomalies were the result of drainage ditches, natural geology or field clearance.