Clarification sought on scrapyard plans

CLARE County Council has requested the developer of a proposed end-of-life recovery facility at Leitrim, Bridgetown, to clarify his plans.
In a recent letter to Cork planning consultants, Barnes Murray De Bhaill, the local planning department has stated the information submitted is insufficient to enable planners to make a complete planning assessment of the proposal.
Requesting clarification, the planning department has sought a revised site layout plan to clarify the discharge point for all waters.
“It is noted that on December 7, 2011, additional details were submitted with regard to a discharge point for surface water from the site to an existing lagoon within the Roadstone Quarry located about 240 metres to the east of the site.
“The continuance of this practice is not considered appropriate and alternative measures are required. It is noted that written consent of the owner or operator has not been submitted. The arrangements for the treatment of surface water from the car storage area require clarification,” the council stated.
Plans for the retention of a commercial development about five kilometres north-west of Bridgetown were refused by Clare County Council, following an objection signed by 39 residents in November 2010.
However, John Joe Fitzpatrick, c/o Barnes Murray De Bhail, The Old Forge, Inishannon, Cork, has now lodged a second revised planning application for a similar development, having entered into discussions with the planning authority in order to clarify what needed to be done to regularise the planning status of the site and to determine what “beneficial” use could be made of the property, having regard to the previous decision.
Mr Fitzpatrick has sought planning approval to retain the commercial/industrial use of land as an end-of-life vehicle recovery facility, a commercial/industrial building, the retention of a concrete hardstanding and associated screen walling, two portocabins, on-site parking, one weighbridge and all other ancillary works, which he claimed have been in place for over 30 years.
The consultants have stated the facility would accept between 600 and 1,000 end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) annually. Taking an average of 800 ELVs, this equates to 16.66 vehicles per week. Typical vehicle transport lorries can carry five non-crushed vehicles; therefore only one delivery will be required per day to bring the site to its anticipated operating capacity.
The facility will employ only three people. In light of the small number of employees and the associated limited requirement for toilet facilities, Mr Murray argued that a Portaloo represented the most cost-effective and sustainable solution for the site.
In a letter to the council from Kildimo Planning Services, Mark Browne stated the applicant had informed him the discharge water from the yard passes through a triple interceptor system and is carried in a 0.45m drain pipe southward along the road, where it then traverses the road via a council drain.
“It then flows into a natural watercourse, which is going in a north-easterly direction to the existing silt ponds at Roadstone facility. This was carried out with the consent of the landowner at the time, who owned all the lands in question,” he added.