Permission refused for recycling plant at local concrete facility
The proximity of the Charleville Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) to a planned extension of a Tullamore concrete plant has led to the project being refused permission by Offaly County Council.
Kilsaran Concrete Unlimited Company had sought planning permission for a major extension at its plant, based at Bunaterin, Screggan, Tullamore, including the provision of an 8,515 square metre defined recycling area in the pit floor; processing of up to 19,500 tonnes of waste concrete annually using a mobile crushing and screening plant, stockpiling of waste concrete prior to processing and stockpiling of recycled aggregates prior to transport off-site for use in construction works.
In refusing the grant of permission, Offaly council planners said that given the “possible hydrological link” between the site and the nearby Charleville Woods SAC, the applicant had "not demonstrated prevention measures” to protect the underlying material and groundwater from “potential contaminated material.”
They added that this could have “a negative effect” on the Charleville Woods SAC and could “pose a risk” to the the healthy functioning of the SAC and its conservation objectives. For this reason, the council ruled the project to be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
An Appropriate Assessment Screening Report which accompanied the planning application specified that the inert waste concrete arising at the pit would comprise of surplus readymix returned from construction sites and off-specification concrete blocks from the block construction plant.
“The proposed development does not require the provision of permanent structures and stormwater management systems and will not generate any waste water. It will not result in any new emissions to surface water, ground or groundwater,” stated the AA report, which added that the inert waste concrete and recycled aggregates do not contain hazardous substances and/or non-concrete materials and do not present “any significant risk of soil or water pollution.”
The report also stated that staffing levels at the plant, and traffic movements to and from the site, would “remain the same” as a result of the proposed extension.
The plans by Kilsaran Concrete for an inert waste recycling plant at their existing facility in Bunaterin, Screggan attracted no third-party submissions.