PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT BALLINCLARE QUARRY

STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION TO AN BORD PLEANÁLA

KILSARAN CONCRETE UNLIMITED COMPANY intends to apply to An Bord Pleanála for permission for Strategic Infrastructure Development at its existing quarry at BALLINCLARE AND CARRIGMORE TOWNLANDS, KILBRIDE, CO. WICKLOW.

The development, within an application area of 32.5 hectares, will comprise:

i construction and operation of an inert landfill facility to backfill the existing quarry to original (pre-development) ground level using approximately 6,165,000 tonnes of imported inert waste and (non-waste) by-product, principally soil and stone. Selected uncontaminated, undisturbed, natural soil waste and/or by-product which conforms to an engineering specification will be re-used in the construction of the basal and side clay liners required for the inert landfill;

ii progressive restoration of the backfilled quarry to long-term grassland / scrub habitat, similar to that which existed prior to the quarry development;

iii development and operation of a construction and demolition (C&D) waste recovery facility at the pre-existing concrete blockyard area; and

iv installation and operation of a soil washing plant at the former concrete / asphalt production yard to recover sand and gravel aggregate from soil / claybound waste.

The proposed development also provides for;

i Continued use of existing site infrastructure and services including, site / weighbridge office, staff welfare facilities, wastewater treatment system, outbound weighbridge, garage / workshop, wheelwash, hardstand areas, fuel and water storage tanks to service the proposed development;

ii Installation of a new weighbridge along the inbound lane of the quarry access road;

iii Decommissioning and off-site removal of any remaining fixed plant, infrastructure and/or wastes associated with former site activities;

iv Construction of an industrial shed (portal frame structure) for C&D recovery activities at the blockyard area;

v Use of existing external paved area surrounding the proposed C&D waste processing shed as a hardstanding area for the external handling and storage of both unprocessed and processed C&D wastes;

vi Construction of an on-site (passive) wetland treatment system and attendant drainage infrastructure to treat surface water run-off / groundwater collecting in the sump / floor of the quarry area during landfilling operations and any surface water run-off from the C&D waste recovery area prior to its discharge off-site;

vii Re-use of an existing storage shed as a dedicated waste inspection and quarantine facility to inspect and store suspect waste consignments as required;

viii Upgrading and ongoing maintenance of established internal haul roads across the application site;

ix Temporary stockpiling of topsoil pending re-use as cover material for phased and/or final restoration of the inert landfill / backfilled quarry; and

x Environmental monitoring of noise, dust, surface water and groundwater for the duration of the landfilling and C&D waste recovery activities and final restoration works and for a short period thereafter.

Planning permission is sought for a period of up to 20 years. The proposed development requires a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have been prepared in respect of the proposed development.

The application, together with the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement may be inspected or purchased, at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, from 27 April 2021 for a period of 7 weeks until 15 June 2021, during public opening hours at the offices of An Bord Pleanála and Wicklow County Council. The application may also be inspected online at the following website set up by the Applicant: https://www.ballinclarequarryrestoration.ie/

Any person may, during the above-mentioned period of 7 weeks, commencing 27 April 2021 and until 15 June 2021 make a submission or observations in writing to An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 relating to

i the implications of the proposed development for proper planning and sustainable development,

ii the likely effects on the environment of the proposed development, and

iii the likely significant effects or adverse effect on any European site, if carried out.

Any submission or observations must be accompanied by a fee of €50 (except for certain prescribed bodies).

Submissions or observations duly made will be considered by An Bord Pleanála in making a decision on the application. Such submissions or observations must also include the following information:

a the name of the person, authority or body making the submission or observations, the name of the person, if any, acting on behalf of that person, authority or body, and the address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent,

b the subject matter of the submission or observations, and

c the reasons, considerations and arguments on which the submission or observations is or are based.

An Bord Pleanála may, at its absolute discretion, decide whether to hold an oral hearing in respect of the proposed development.

An Bord Pleanála may

i grant permission for the strategic infrastructure development as proposed;

ii make such modifications to the proposed development as it specifies in its decision and grant permission in respect of the proposed development as so modified; or

ii grant permission in respect of part of the proposed development (with or without specified modifications of the foregoing kind); or

iii refuse to grant the permission.

An Bord Pleanála may attach to a grant of permission such conditions as it considers appropriate.

A person may question the validity of a decision of An Bord Pleanála by way of an application for judicial review, under Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986), in accordance with sections 50 and 50A of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (No. 30 of 2000), as amended. Practical information on the review mechanism can be found in the Judicial Review Notice on the An Bord Pleanála website: www.pleanala.ie or on the Citizens Information Service website: www.citizensinformation.ie.