Dolphins put end to further blasting at Kilrush quarry

THE presence of a population of bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary, close to an existing quarry at Aylevarroo near Kilrush, has been cited as a consideration by An Bord Pleanála in refusing permission for the owners to intensify operations.

Planning permission had been sought by Joseph, Daniel and Martin O’Gorman to carry out 15 blasts each year, along with the use of mobile crushing and screening plant within the existing 2.88 hectare quarry at Aylevarroo.
In their appeal they claimed that the county council has used blasting techniques in the past to extract stone from the quarry, which is located in the vicinity of Aylevarroo Point, between Moyne Bay to the east and Aylevarroo Bay to the west.
However, in affirming the county council’s decision to refuse planning, An Bord Pleanála said the intensification of quarrying at the registered site would fail to protect the tourism and amenity resources of the area.
The board’s senior planning inspector, Keith Sargeant noted that the quarry is located in a scenic, sensitive coastal location designated as a vulnerable landscape in the development plan for the area and the public road serving the existing development is a designated scenic route.
A bathing area lies adjacent and the road is used for recreational walks. The adjacent River Shannon Estuary is a designated Special Area of Conservation and hosts a population of bottlenose dolphins, among other species, he added.
“The proposed development as applied for would result in a significant intensification of quarrying and associated activities and this intensification, by virtue of noise, dust traffic and general disturbance, would be detrimental to the protection of the scenic and general amenities of the area and fail to protect the tourism and amenity resources of the area.
“The proposed development would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity, would be contrary to the policies of the development plan that aim to protect the scenic resources of the county and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
“Having regard for the scale of quarrying activity proposed for the site, the associated increase in heavy goods vehicle movements and the narrow and winding nature of the access road, it was considered that the local road serving the site of the proposed development was inadequate in width and horizontal alignment to safely facilitate an intensification of traffic on the level proposed.
“Notwithstanding the presence of an existing registered quarry on site, it is considered that the development as applied for would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users,” An Bord Pleanála said.