Planning objection prompts row

A planning objection opposing the provision of a new dry batch concrete plant in Montpelier has prompted a row between a local soccer and community organisation.

The transportation of raw materials to facilitate a new dry batch concrete plant across the River Shannon at O’Briensbridge was deemed “inappropriate” by Limerick County Council recently.
The council refused O’Connell Concrete Limited planning permission to construct a batch concrete plant, wastewater collection recycling unit, bored well and ancillary services at Montpelier and Coolready, just a short distance from O’Briensbridge.
It ruled the location of the batching plant in a site that is no longer being quarried but requires all material to be imported and exported from the site as inappropriate and an unsustainable pattern of development.
The company has issued a first-party appeal, seeking to overturn this decision, to An Bord Pleanála.
The O’Briensbridge/Montpelier Community Group had lodged an objection during the public consultation phase citing concerns about the impact of “significant increase in the heavy goods vehicle haul traffic in the twin villages of O’Briensbridge and Montpelier and on the single lane bridge linking both villages”.
In a surprise move, Bridge Celtic, which is hoping to purchase about four acres from Bobby O’Connell of O’Connell Quarries, a sister company of O’Connell Concrete, has issued a statement to The Clare Champion condemning the community group’s stance.
Bridge Celtic, which draws its players from O’Briensbridge, Montpelier, Clonlara and Killaloe, is renting a field in Bridgetown for three decades and are anxious to secure a permanent home.
Club chairman TJ Byrnes stated the club supported the fantastic work completed by Mick Murtagh and the local community group in the villages over the past decade.
However, Mr Byrnes claimed the group did not represent the whole community when it decided to lodge an objection against the proposed dry batch concrete plant.
Mr Byrnes claimed there would be no major difference in the amount of heavy goods vehicles crossing O’Briensbridge because O’Connell Concrete is already transporting material to a rented site from Dereen Concrete Limited, which has full planning permission to batch concrete.
If the company had got planning permission for the rented site, he explained it would have moved its operations to this location and in the long term, had plans to try to get permission to re-use the disused sandpit, which would have resulted in a major reduction in haul traffic.
He insisted the number of heavy goods vehicles passing through the twin villages has dropped substantially due to the recession in recent years.
Asked if the club’s move is linked to its planned purchase of land from Mr O’Connell, Mr Byrnes insisted the two issues are separate.
“Bobby O’Connell has indicated he would donate money to the local community if he got planning permission for this development. It would also help to create employment, what is wrong with that? We feel that Mick Murtagh didn’t represent the entire community on this issue. We have made our feelings known to him and have told him we disagree with him,” he said.
Mr Murtagh claimed the soccer club made no contribution towards any community work in the twin villages and is merely an organisation that solely serves its members’ interests.
He pointed out the community group had stated in its initial mission statement that it would do its best to halt quarrying and sand exploration having an adverse affect on the 18th century streetscape in O’Briensbridge.
“If Bridge Celtic want to buy a field from Bobby O’Connell, this is a totally separate issue from our concern about haulage traffic and has nothing to do with the community group or the village.
“We are still opposed to the provision of a batch concrete plant in this location and we don’t believe there will be extra jobs in these type of developments.
“If the club want to support planning permission for O’Connell Concrete, it can make a submission supporting the development to An Bord Pleanála,” he said.