Oversight of new soil recovery facility in Wicklow challenged
The Wicklow PeopleA proposed 10-year soil recovery and infill project near Coyne’s Cross has prompted a mixture of support, caution, and calls for stronger oversight from Wicklow councillors, as the chief executive’s report on the development heads to An Coimisiún Pleanála for a decision.
The report, due by April 17, outlines a plan to infill a large natural hollow near exit 14 on the N11 with approximately two million tonnes of inert soil and stone from construction sites.
The material would be deposited over a decade, with an additional year for restoration before the land is returned to agricultural use.
While the chief executive’s assessment concludes that the development “would accord with proper planning and sustainable development”, councillors used part of their monthly meeting to voice concerns about environmental protection, community engagement, and the county’s historical difficulties with waste oversight.
The site sits just off the N11 interchange, a factor that several councillors acknowledged as a significant advantage. Cllr Shane Langrell, who lives near the location, said the positioning was one of the strongest arguments in favour of the proposal.
“If we’re zoning land, we need to go somewhere with our soil,” he said. “It’s the location that impressed me… rather than the rural roads through Laragh and Roundwood, it is exit 14.”
Similarly, Cllr John Snell noted that the site’s proximity to the motorway would minimise disruption to rural communities.
“From a road network point of view… it couldn’t be in a better place,” he said.
“It has very little impact on our rural roads.”
However, Cllr Snell also raised concerns about the environmental implications, particularly the streams that run north and south of the site and eventually feed into Broadlough Lake, Five Mile Point, and Wicklow Harbour.
“I do have concerns… there’s one stream in particular… it comes down into the Broadlough lake,” he warned.
“It would be important that it would be monitored.”
Wicklow has a long and complicated history with waste management and illegal dumping, with several high profile cases over the past 20 years leading to court action, community anger, and calls for tighter regulation. Although the proposed Coyne’s Cross development involves only inert soil and stone, some councillors made clear that past experiences continue to shape public trust.
Cllr Tom Fortune was particularly direct, referencing the county’s troubled legacy.
“The track record in the county is not great,” he said. “It is not good enough to say that it will be supervised. There has to be more detail of how it is going to be controlled.”
He added that the term soil recovery facility sounded “clinical” and asked for clarity on what materials could legally be accepted.
The chief executive Emer O’Gorman responded that the facility would be limited to uncontaminated soil and stone, regulated under Article 27 of the EPA’s waste framework, and subject to strict licensing.
“It’s an authorised site where uncontaminated soil and stone are processed, stored and used,” she said. “The EPA are the licensing authority… we have no role in the decision making around this application.”
Several councillors argued that the scale of the project warranted a structured community benefit scheme.
Cllr Peir Leonard said it would be important that the applicants engage with the community and to have a public meeting.
“Discussion around community gain and a community fund is very important,” she added.
Cllr Fortune echoed this sentiment, calling community gain “essential” for a project of this size.
Cllr Snell also questioned whether the council would receive a levy per tonne of soil, noting that the previous infill activity in the area had not visibly benefited residents.
Officials clarified that contributions would be collected under the Development Contribution Scheme, which is currently under review.
The land in question previously formed part of a larger planning permission granted in 2008 for approximately four million tonnes of infill. That permission was extended in 2014, but never commenced due to economic conditions following the financial crisis. The only significant activity in the area during that period was the extraction of material for the N11/M11 upgrade, which created the hollow now proposed for restoration.
The new application is effectively a restart of the original plan, but under a more stringent regulatory environment.
The chief executive’s report, along with the councillors’ comments, will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála by the end of the week. If planning permission is granted, the developer must then secure an EPA licence before any work can begin.
While councillors broadly acknowledged the need for soil recovery capacity in the county, the meeting made clear that public trust will depend on transparency, environmental safeguards, and meaningful community engagement.
As Cllr Fortune put it, summing up the mood of caution.
“I would be a doubting Thomas about this kind of stuff.”