Fresh plans lodged for controversial Tipperary anaerobic digestion plant
Fresh plans have been lodged for a controversial anaerobic digestion (AD) plant outside Tipperary town after the original application attracted more than 160 objections.
Andrew Kiely and Nephin Renewable Gas applied to Tipperary County Council for planning permission to develop the plant on a site at Ballynilard, outside Tipperary town.
The proposed plant would have three digesters, two digestate storage structures, and a liquid feed tank, and would produce biomethane, carbon dioxide and a bio-based fertiliser.
Earlier this year, the council deemed the original plans invalid on several grounds, including that one of the landowners where the development is proposed has withdrawn her permission for her land to be used.
The council also raised concerns about increased traffic as a result of the development, with an “insufficient analysis” of how traffic will be impacted on the local roads around the proposed plant.
“The road safety audit focuses primarily on the internal access road and site layout, with insufficient analysis of the R662 interface, which is the critical risk point,” the council said.
Now, agents for Mr Kiely and Nephin Renewable Gas said that following the withdrawal of permission of one of the landowners, they have redesigned elements of the development.
“The revised design for the site access and associated access improvements submitted as part of this revised application no longer relies on the land ownership of [the landowner who withdrew permission],” the agent said.
A small parcel of land controlled by the local authority, adjoining the main landholding, remains within the proposed site boundary. The applicants have obtained the council’s consent to include it in the application, their agent said.
The agent also added that site entrances had been modified to achieve the council’s required sightlines, and that a new transport assessment showed that the development would not adversly impact the R662 road.
Council planners also raised concerns about the impact that the plant would have on the environment, particularly on water quality in the area.
“Data states that currently the Ara is at risk and at poor status with ammonia trending downwards and elevated concentrations of ortho-phosphorus,” council planners said.
The council also added that the applicant’s “emissions limit values would not be acceptable to discharge into the Ara river,” and that “revised lower emission levels are required”.
The new application now states that there are no plans to discharge treated water from the AD process into the River Ara. The water will instead be stored in tanks onsite and reused for cleaning activities, the agent added.
The last planning application for the proposed AD plant received over 160 objections from locals, including from the owners of a local stud farm who feel that the AD plant, if it goes ahead, would cause their clients to look elsewhere.
“Should our clients, both current and future, feel that this industrial development will have an impact on the peaceful setting that they require, and value they are currently getting, they may decide to look elsewhere,” they said.
“The impact of this on us and our son’s future livelihood cannot be underestimated,” they added.
Tipperary County Council is due to make a decision on the new planning application by November 11.