Plans for anaerobic digestion biogas facility appealed to An Bord Pleanála

A PROPOSAL for a renewable energy project in north Mayo - an anaerobic digestion (ad) biogas facility and associated gas pipeline - is under appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

The facility proposes using locally sourced silage and slurry as feedstock to generate biogas for export to the national grid, with residual digestate being available for use locally as bio-fertiliser.

The development address encompasses a number of townlands - Lisglennon, Ballybroony, Coonealmore, Coonealcauraun, Rathrooen, Culleens, Laghtadawannagh and Farrannoo, Ballina.

Mayo County Council's decision to grant permission for the facility has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

It includes a first party appeal by developers Lisglennon Ad Limited, and two third party appeals against the grant of permission, one being the Asahi Local Residents Association.

The appeals board is due to issue its decision by early November.

The project includes two grass silage storage clamps, an access and circulation tract from the L1110, new site entrance on the Mullafarry Road, and a pipeline of c.8.6km located in the public road and verges to connect the facility to the national grid north of Ballina.

Ancillary developments include a site office building, weighbridge, attenuation tank and on-site drainage.

A planner's report sets out how the plant could handle up to 42,500 tonnes per annum of grass silage and up to 18,000 tonnes of slurry.

These are maximum figures and are likely to be lower.

The farmer behind the company plans to initially provide much of the ‘fuel’ required, and then source more from nearby farms.

A number of submissions were made to Mayo County Council raising concerns, which largely related to increased traffic volumes on the local road network, impact on residential amenity especially from odour, property price devaluation, noise and environmental impact.