Planning granted for Causeway biogas facility | RadioKerry.ie | RadioKerry.ie

An Bórd Pleanála has given the green light for the development of a biogas facility in North Kerry.

Kerry County Council initially granted permission for the development in Dromkeen, Causeway back in October 2022.

This was appealed to An Bórd Pleanála, which has now upheld the council’s decision and paved the way for the development.

The facility would use anaerobic digestion to convert feedstock from local farms into biogas and digestate; it’s claimed this would provide renewable energy and supply the national grid.

Sandford Energy Ltd applied for permission to construct the biogas production plant, comprising two digestion tanks, a pre-mix tank and digestate tank, substrate storage area, and slurry storage tank with associated pumps.

Once the cattle slurry and feedstock is broken down to produce biogas, this biogas is passed by way of a pressurised pipe network to the Combined Heat and Power Plant after pollutants are removed.

It’s anticipated that the combustion of this biogas will generate about 500kWh of electricity and about 540kWh of heat.

The company says about 10% of the electricity generated will be used on site to drive the pumps, and the rest fed to the national grid.

It’s proposed that about 14,000 tonnes of feedstock will be processed in this machine, all sourced from the local farms of the directors of the company.

When permission was granted, this was appealed to An Bórd Pleanála.

The Inspector writes that the key issues raised by the appeal are procedural, the principle, location, and siting of the development, as well as overall design and visual impact.

The Inspector writes that surface water management, impact on residential amenity, health and safety, and traffic considerations, were also raised in the appeal.

The Inspector then recommended that planning be refused, claiming the development would endanger public safety as a traffic hazard because of additional turning movements where sightlines are restricted.

However, the Board of An Bórd Pleanála has not accepted the Inspector’s recommendation and has granted planning permission for the development.

The Board writes the capacity exists to establish necessary sightlines for the entrance onto the public road, and there is a limited increase in the volume of traffic.

Permission was granted subject to 26 conditions.