Planning application lodged for expansion of Annagor quarry
A community meeting organised by Bellewstown Environmental Protection Group to discuss Kilsaran Concrete's plans for a major expansion of its quarry operation at Annagor, Duleek, takes place in Bellewstown Hall this evening (Thursday) at 7.30pm.
Kilsaran Concrete Unlimited Company recently lodged a planning applicationwith Meath County Council by for the continued use of the existing quarry and also for an 8.6 hectares extension of the extraction area as well as permission to import 2.7m tonnes of stone and soil for backfill and export.
Plans include a new soil washing and aggregate recovery plant to be utilised in the recovery of aggregate resources from the imported non-waste soil and stone and also the recovery of resources from on-site unexcavated overburden and temporary overburden storage mounds.
The permitted annual average extraction rate is 400,000 tonnes per annum (equivalent to 800,000 tonnes per annum during peak periods), limited to a daily maximum rate of 3,000 tonnes.
Permission is sought to increase the permitted average annual extraction to an average annual production rate to 650,000 tonnes per annum (equivalent to 900,000 tonnes per annum during peak periods) to a maximum daily rate of 3,400 tonnes per day.
Permission is also sought for the relocation of a storage container, weighbridges, shipping office, office, canteen drying room and welfare room and the demolition of the existing electrical substation as well as the provision of new well, electrical substation, wheelwash, septic tank and percolation area, bunded fuel tank, car and truck parking area, and a discharge water treatment facility comprising two settlement ponds.
Planning permission is sought for a period of 20 years with an additional two year period to allow for restoration (22 years in total). Approximately 7.4ha of quarry void would be backfilled with non-waste stone and soil material with a freshwater lake provided in the remaining quarry void.
A community meeting has been organised by the Bellewstown Environmental Protection group, which previously fought plans for an expansion of Kilsaran's quarry at Hilltown Little, Bellewstown that were ultimately withdrawn by the company.
Among the concerns for residents are increased quarry traffic, noise, vibration and dust, air, water and environment emissions, energy consumption, health and wellbeing, heritage and landscape character.
At at time when Ireland is trying to reduce its carbon emissions and energy consumption, they say there is already a cement plant at Platin, Indaver waste facility and an Amazon data centre in the area.
Chairperson of Bellewstown Environmental Protection Group Richard Martin said they are "deeply concerned" at the recent planning application.
He said the planned massive scale expansion of quarrying operations by Kilsaran would have "huge implications and ramifications" not just for the Bellewstown area but for an extended area from Duleek to Julianstown and would cause significant traffic congestion problems due to the concentration of truck movements, in close proximity to schools, businesses and residential homes, adding that the approach road R150 already has pinch points at Duleek and Julianstown.
Mr Martin said it was "inconceivable to contemplate the negative long term consequences for the community there should this level of expansion to a mega quarry scale proceed as planned".