Minor changes to plans for Duleek incinerator

Proposed changes to the original plans for the controversial waste incinerator at Carranstown, Duleek, which will include a smaller building, will be the subject of an amended planning application to be made shortly. According to the company behind the development, Indaver Ireland, it is now proposed to construct a smaller building which will include a corridor for guided tours through the plant and a viewing platform for visitors. The proposed changes will see Indaver apply for an amendment to the existing planning permission to Meath County Council, and it is expected this will be submitted to the planning authority in the coming days. The company says the proposed amendment is not seeking to alter the nature of the material processed at the facility, the annual tonnage currently permitted or the amount of traffic associated with the facility. According to Conor Jones, engineering director, Indaver Ireland, feedback from the public, along with the views of contractors and suppliers, has resulted in Indaver taking the decision to seek to make minor amendments to the Duleek facility. "We have received an overwhelming amount of requests to visit the facility to date. Therefore, in the final design, we have included a viewing platform and have incorporated a very accessible corridor through the facility for site visits. More efficient use of space has made the footprint of the building smaller and this, coupled with a new colour scheme for the exterior, has improved the look of the building," he said. The amendment application and all documents relating to it will be available for viewing at Meath County Council offices once the application is submitted in the coming days. Indaver is currently reviewing its waste licence for the facility and, as part of this review, the company says it has updated its environmental impact statement (EIS). The majority of environmental aspects remain unchanged from the previous assessment. The revised EIS clarifies details such as technology choice and energy efficiency as required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency is currently reviewing the licence for the facility and will adjudicate on all licence related modifications.