2460521
(i) a new entrance (ii) existing entrance to be closed and made obsolete (iii) the importation of material to in-fill and re-contour the subject site, and all associated site development works. Once the importation is complete, the applicant will seed the land in line with Teagasc guidelines and return it to agricultural use. The Operational Phase will see the site being used as agricultural pastureland. The applicant proposes, subject to planning, to import clean greenfield soil and stone to remediate approximately 3.72ha. of the total site. The 3.72ha is divided into 4 distinct phases - Phase 1 is 1.82ha, Phase 2 is 0.58ha, Phase 3 is 0.66ha and Phase 4 is 0.66ha. A fill plan has been drawn up for the importation of 41,552tonnes to fill Phase 1, 25,243 tonnes to fill Phase 2, 28,596 tonnes to fill Phase 3, and 28,596tonnes to fill Phase 4, equating to a total of 123,987tonnes of soil and stone. Permission is being sought for a 5-year period and will be subject to a waste facility permit
Core Refusal Reason
The proposed large-scale infilling lacks sufficient agricultural justification and would unnecessarily alter the natural landscape, while posing significant risks to road safety, residential amenity, and local water quality.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicant failed to provide sufficient justification for the scale of infilling (123,987 tonnes), which would unnecessarily alter the natural topography and landscape character in contravention of Objective CPO 17.37.
- The development would create a traffic hazard due to the inadequacy of the local road network (L5155), insufficient sightlines at the proposed entrance, and a lack of data regarding HGV movement frequency.
- The proposal lacks adequate assessments regarding potential impacts on residential amenity (noise/dust), surface water quality, and the risk of soil slippage and siltation into the Ballinabarny stream.