Kerry Ingredients and Cork Marts also in planning focus

Peter Sweetman has made his presence felt for two major agribusinesses who are embarking on upgrades in recent months.

Kerry Ingredients (Ireland) Ltd applied to Kerry County Council for permission to upgrade the air and noise emission abatement systems for its dryers at its milk intake at Island Macloughry, near Listowel.

Peter Sweetman submitted an observation to the county council, noting that the onus was on the county council to screen the development for environmental impact assessment (EIA), appropriate assessment under the Habitats Directive, and should be assessed for compliance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive.

He claimed that the development was possibly within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and no Natura Impact Statement had been submitted.

Documents subsequently submitted by Kerry Ingredients pointed out that an appropriate assessment screening has been undertaken, and that the site where the works were planned was not located with the SAC, but adjacent to it.

In May, the county council granted planning permission for the works, subject to four conditions. However, Sweetman appealed the council’s decision to An Bord Pleanála on 17 June 2024, and Kerry Ingredients must wait for An Bord Pleanála’s decision next October.

Meanwhile, Sweetman also made a submission on a planning application by Cork Marts in March 2024. The application was to create an integrated constructed wetland at its Cahir Mart premises. The wetland would be for the treatment and management of wash waters arising from the mart.

The sloping mart site at Barnora runs down to the River Suir, which is within the Lower River Suir SAC. A Natura Impact Statement and appropriate assessment were submitted by Cork Marts.

Permission, with conditions, was granted by Tipperary County Council on 8 July.