Wexford recycling facility continues to allegedly operate outside planning permissions
Wexford PeopleA recycling facility in Kilrane, Co Wexford is being allegedly allowed to operate outside of its planning permissions, a council meeting has heard. Tamer Recycling, which is situated in the Kilrane Business Park, has been the subject of an appeal from residents in the neighbouring Cúl na Greine.
With regards to the work carried out at the facility, its operator, Tamer Assawy, has stated that it involves the “stripping of scrap cable to extract the ferrous and non-ferrous metals which are temporarily stored before being sent to appropriate recycling facilities for further recovery”. In addition, a “secondary activity” sees the recycling facility accept “aluminium cans, engine blocks and mattresses“ before all metals are separated and sent off site for recovery.
In its appeal, the Kilrane Concerned Residents Group noted that, according to the Wexford County Development Plan 2022-2028, “no new waste disposal facility or Waste Transfer Station shall be located within 200m of a residence”.
The group also alleged that that the lands (on which the facility is situated) do not fall within the classification of light industry as defined within The Local Government Act and that “the works at the facility, its proximity to many homes, noises and smells emitted, waste storage in proximity to homes, its size being serviced by HGVs, the lack of proper wastewater treatment, clearly show that it cannot be classed as light industry”.
Given the right to respond to these allegations, Mr Assawy noted that he had previously been granted a waste license by Wexford County Council (WCC). However, he accepted that the development is currently the subject of a planning enforcement case by WCC and, as a result, he seeks to “regularise the planning on site and provide improvements to the existing buildings and overall facility”.
With regards to any traffic, noise, or pollution issues which may be impacting residents, Mr Assawy said that “traffic movements associated with the development are small”, that there is “no evidence of material polluting the surrounding area”, and that the facility has “strict measures, conditions and monitoring to safeguard against odour, noise and vermin nuisance”.
He also noted that the houses at Cul na Greine were built after the construction of the business park.
However, on May 9, 2023, An Bord Pleanála (now An Coimisiún Pleanála) ruled in favour of the residents and refused Tamer planning permission for a “change of use from storage units to metal recycling facility”.
In its ruling, the planning authority stated that the “proposed development and development proposed to be retained would materially contravene the zoning objectives pertaining to the site as set out within the Wexford County Development Plan 2022-2028 and would be contrary to the requirements of Objective WM05 of the Plan and the development management criteria for the siting of waste facilities relative to residential development.
"The proposed development and development proposed to be retained would, therefore, be contrary to the provisions of the Wexford County Development Plan 2022-2028 and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
However, thereafter Tamer Recycling brought the case to the High Court and succeeded in having its case reheard by An Bord Pleanála (ABP). This resulted in ABP once more refusing planning permission on August 15, 2024.
A further High Court appeal has now led to the case being referred to the planning authority for a third time. In correspondence seen by The Wexford People, An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) stated on November 24, 2025 that following the High Court’s decision to quash its ruling the case has now been “remitted back to ACP for a new decision” and that any appellants are invited to make submissions regarding the case before December 22, 2025.
ACP has advised that the case is now due to be decided by March 31, 2026.
Today's News in 90 seconds - 4th December 2025
Separately, Wexford Council County has issued planning enforcement proceedings against Tamer Recycling and, at the November meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD), Cathaoirleach Ger Carthy asked environmental engineer Rory O’Mahony for a status update.
“We are inspecting the facility and it’s operating within its permit,” replied Mr O’Mahony.
But having recently paid a visit to the business park himself, Councillor Carthy begged to differ.
“The last time I was there I saw 40 foot of mattresses piled up, these came from across the country,” he said. “They’re bringing them all down to Kilrane to bate the lard out of them, take the wires out of them, recycle them, and leave the smell behind.
“Don’t come into this council chamber and tell me you don’t know what’s going on there or you didn’t see anything yesterday. I want action on this. It’s gone around the houses, the official who gave the permit retired a year-and-a-half ago and it’s still going on. Are we afraid of the people operating that plant down there? Or are we just applying a light touch?
“The operator is acting outside of his planning permissions. There’s lorries going up and down that road at 2 a.m., technically there’s a public health issue here as well.”
“We do want clarity on the planning issue,” agreed Mr O’Mahony. “I would be looking for the planning section to advise us on the next steps.”