Banagher meat factory plan decision delayed again
An Bord Pleanála has confirmed to the Offaly Independent that a final decision on Banagher Chilling Ltd's plans for a new €40 million meat factory will not be available until late April.
It's the latest in a series of hold-ups for the Chinese-backed development stretching back to the autumn of last year.
Offaly County Council granted permission for the massive project close to Banagher back in August but was that decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
A spokesperson for An Bord Pleanála said this week that a final verdict will not be available until on or before April 23 next.
The news comes as local TD Barry Cowen received the backing of members at Thursday’s Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party to publish a Bill which proposes to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 to ensure that every appeal or referral is determined within a period of 12 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the board of the appeal or referral.
He said the Bill is aimed at freeing up the logjam which is delaying decisions on key commercial developments like the meat factory plan for Banagher.
“The Bill seeks to respond to the need for An Bord Pleanála to be statutorily bound by a defined time period for them to make a decision on planning files rather than the present situation whereby there are no controls or obligations in place for decisions to made in a timely fashion.
“Many delays in proposed developments are putting such proposals in jeopardy because of the prolonged and ridiculous lengths of time for such important decisions to be made,” he complained.
“In my own county, An Bord Pleanála is currently sitting on two projects which together are worth in the region of €60m.
One of them is a meat factory in Banagher while the other project is a commercial, retail and cinema development, Riverside Centre in Tullamore. Both got the go-ahead from Offaly County Council's planners but have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
“I now look forward to progressing this Bill and presenting it to the Dáil for consideration,'' concluded Deputy Cowen.