Public meeting on east Mayo biogas plant

A PUBLIC meeting to discuss plans for a proposed biogas plant in Swinford is taking place this week.

The meeting, hosted by the Swinford Biogas Concern Group, will take place in the Gateway Hotel at 8 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

Last year, Mayo County Council refused planning permission to Moy Valley Biogas for the facility at Lislackagh. In February of this year a second application was deemed invalid.

There is concern locally about the safety and environmental impacts of the plant.

Members of the public have until July 21 to make submissions to Mayo County Council on the planning application.

A number of submissions already received have been published on the council website.

One local resident submitted that this is the 'complete wrong location. It is too close to houses, people, and will ruin the precious wildlife for miles, they said.

Another raised concerns about traffic impact, saying the plant would result in major traffic on an already busy and narrow roads.

As a small, rural area, they were committed to promoting positive health and well-being. With all the additional lorries on the road the children would be unable to walk/cycle to school.

The submission also raised concern over the close proximity and effect of any possible emissions from the facility.