An Bord Pleanála has overturned a decision by Offaly County Council to refuse planning permission for a renewable biogas facility.
Strategic Power Limited is seeking to build the development on a 2.1ha site at Ballyduff, just over 2km from Tullamore town centre. The facility will produce renewable energy and organic fertiliser.
The proposed development would process 50,000t of feedstock annually in anaerobic digestors to produce biogas that could then be sent to the existing Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) network.
The facility would accept material including silage, farmyard manure and chicken litter, primarily sourced from farms within a 10km radius.
The application included an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR).
A significant number of objections were made to Offaly County Council on the application from local residents and elected representatives, including Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen.
Concerns were raised about odour, traffic, noise, vermin and the storage and disposal of digestate.
The council refused planning in January 2021 citing the potential for air pollution from the proposed facility “which may have significant effects on the environment and on public health”.
Biogas facility
The developer of the biogas facility, Strategic Power Limited, appealed this decision to An Bord Pleanála.
The planning board completed an environmental impact assessment on the proposed development.
It stated that subject to the implementation of mitigation measures contained in the EIAR and compliance with the conditions it imposed, the effects on the local environment would be acceptable.
It noted that the development has the potential to generate odours and negatively impact on air quality, which could be mitigated by on-site actions such as the installation of odour abatement equipment.
The board decided to grant permission subject to 13 conditions, including that an annual report is furnished to Offaly County Council on the operation of the facility.
This must outline the source of all feedstock for the facility, the volumes of raw materials treated in the anaerobic digestor and the volume and weight of gas and digestate produced.
The board stated that a maximum of 50,000t of raw materials is to be treated at the facility annually.