Glanbia Ireland has said it remains “totally committed” to the Belview cheese facility project despite the latest Supreme Court decision.
The court has granted An Taisce leave to appeal the High Court decision to dismiss its challenge against An Bord Pleanála’s grant of planning permission for the facility.
On April 20, the High Court upheld the planning approval granted by An Bord Pleanála for the new continental cheese facility at Belview in Co. Kilkenny.
The Supreme Court will now set a hearing date and consider the appeal before issuing its verdict.
Glanbia Ireland chairman John Murphy said: “We remain totally committed to this project, which was granted planning approval by Kilkenny County Council in November of 2019.
“This project is critical to our market diversification post-Brexit.”
The continental cheese production facility planned for Belview is a joint venture between Glanbia Ireland and international dairy firm Royal A-ware.
Appealing ‘in public interest’
On August 9, An Taisce’s Board of Trustees “unanimously agreed” to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.
An Taisce said that its decision is “based on a considered analysis of the legal aspects of the case and is rooted in the principles and values central to the mission and role of An Taisce – to protect and advocate for ecological resilience and the future viability of the natural environment”.
“Our concerns are increasingly underpinned by a series of reports from the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and other authorities indicating the impacts of intensive agriculture on water and air quality and the increasing greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions from that sector,” the statement from An Taisce reads.
“It is our conviction that the original judgement raised points of law that are of exceptional public importance and which require to be appealed in the public interest.
“The judgement also creates a precedent in law that dilutes a number of important prior decisions that served to ensure rigorous assessment of the environmental impacts of proposed developments at the planning stage.”
In a statement today, An Taisce said it welcomes the Supreme Court decision “which it believes will provide clarity on important points of law”.