Castleconnell waste station plan knocked

A DECISION by An Bord Pleanála to overturn planning approval for a waste transfer station near Castleconnell is a boost for angling tourism in South-East Clare, a local community group has claimed. Limerick County Council granted planning permission to Go Recycling for the construction of a waste transfer station at Derreen, Derrylusk, Castleconnell, County Limerick, subject to 15 planning conditions, last April.
However, the permission has now been refused by the appeals’ board, following an appeal lodged by five objectors, including local angling clubs and Montpelier/O’Briensbridge Community Group.
The board ruled that the appeal site was located on unzoned lands within the Shannon Coastal Zone Landscape Character Area, a category one landscape of national importance, including low-lying land beside a stream.
“Notwithstanding the existing uses, it is considered that the further intensification and expansion of industrial type development in this area, including extensive filling and additional paving, outdoor storage and washing of refuse containers, reliance on tankering of waste water off site and volumes of waste to be handled on site vis-à-vis the overall site area proposed, the board is not satisfied that the proposed development would not be prejudicial to public health and result in an unacceptable risk of water pollution.
“The board is not satisfied on the basis of the submissions made in connection with the planning application and the appeal that the site can be drained satisfactorily by means of a septic tank, notwithstanding the proposed use of a proprietary wastewater treatment system. The development would be prejudicial to public health,” the board stated.
Welcoming the decision, community group chairman, Mick Murtagh claimed the refusal is a considerable boost for the promotion of tourism angling in O’Briensbridge, Clonlara, Doonass and Castleconnell because it removed the pollution risk to nearby salmon spawning streams.
Mr Murtagh stated the proposed facility was located in the middle of important wetlands and on the banks of an important feeder stream, which runs into the River Shannon less than one mile downstream.
During winter flooding and especially during ESB hydro releases, the river backs right up to the boundary of this facility where the Go Recycling proposed to operate.
“The River Shannon in this area is an important Special Area of Conservation with important sea lampreys spawning areas and also some very productive Atlantic salmon spawning streams and nursery habitats.”
Mr Murtagh also appealed on the grounds of increased heavy goods vehicle traffic due to this development.
“The O’Briensbridge/Montpellier crossing is a single-lane 15th century bridge with no pedestrian access, which poses a serious health and safety problem for the communities of both villages.
“The R525 is also a bog road with ongoing subsidence, where there are regular accidents with vehicles running off the roadway. Eight different quarries are presently using this roadway and the OBriensbridge/Montpelier crossing, so it’s very obvious that there is overuse,” Mr Murtagh stated.
Responding to the objections, the company pointed out that leachate from the transfer building and from the wheelie bin wash areas would be collected separately for treatment.
The company told the board that no refuelling or vehicle maintenance would be carried out on-site and external hook bins would be watertight and would not result in liquid emissions. It was also prepared to transfer wash-down water from the transfer building and the wheelie bin wash area off-site by tanker for treatment elsewhere. Therefore, the wastewater treatment plant would only be treating domestic effluent.
Planning inspector, Conor McGrath stated in his report that despite its regional status, the river crossing at O’Briensbridge was not an appropriate heavy goods vehicle route.