Waste: Go-ahead for huge landfill surprises council

WICKLOW County Council has given the go-ahead for the development of a controversial 350-acre landfill at Ballynagran in East Wicklow.

County Manager Eddie Sheehy granted planning permission in a move which caught councillors and officials by surprise, as the item was not even on the agenda.

The permission granted to Celtic Waste Ltd extends to 350 acres and comes with 26 conditions, including a stipulation that the waste to be dumped there must only come from within the county.

However, this was met with scepticism by a number of councillors, including Nicky Kelly, who wondered how such a condition could be enforced. "Co Wicklow, if Ballynagran is allowed to go ahead, will act as a dump for the greater Dublin area," he said.

Mr Sheehy advised the councillors that he had taken the decision only after taking professional advice. He also pointed out that it was open to anyone who had any difficulty with the decision to appeal it to An Bord Pleanala. He added that the file was open to any member who wished to see it.

The proposed landfill is sited about five miles from Brittas Bay and six from Wicklow town.

Councillors were divided on the issue, with local members particularly unhappy with the decision. Cllr Liam Kavanagh said it was "disgraceful" and claimed there was a "secret agenda" within the council. He also criticised the fact that the planning approval was not mentioned at an earlier meeting of the council's planning committee.

However, two north-Wicklow based councillors welcomed the manager's decision - Cllrs Joe Behan and Michael Lawlor. Both pointed out that, had the council accepted the previous plan for a landfill at Ballynagran, the matter wouldn't now be in private hands.

Fine Gael TD Billy Timmins said: "We have a major problem with illegal dumping in Wicklow and everyone has been on about it for the last couple of years, we need a landfill for our own waste."

The landfill will have a limited lifespan of 15 years dumping followed by a further two years to reinstate the land.

Members of the Ballynagran-Coolbeg Action Group, which has fought the development of a landfill there for 10 years said they were disappointed. Spokesman Dieter Clissmann pledged "to fight it all the way".

Originally Council management proposed its own dump on the site. However, this was thrice voted down by councillors. The local Action group then went to the high court and won on the basis that what the council was proposing was a contravention of the County Development Plan.

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