Planning board seeks new submissions on Banagher Chilling project

by Gordon Deegan

An Coimisiún Pleanála is seeking fresh submissions from parties on contentious plans for a €40m Chinese backed meat processing plant for Banagher.

An Coimisiún Pleanála has written to Offaly County Council and other parties to the appeal seeking new submissions on the scheme.

The letter is the latest twist in the long running planning saga which dates back to July 2019 when plans were first lodged.

In the letter, An Coimisiún Pleanála has stated that having regard to the High Court decision in this case, the quashing of the previous board decision and the passage of time that it is in the interests of justice to now request parties to make any further general submissions under Section 131 of the Planning and Development Act.

In June 2022, the then An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to Banagher Chilling Ltd for the proposed plant at a site located at Boheradurrow and Meenwaun, 3km southeast of Banagher.

However, this was subsequently quashed by the High Court after the planning board consented to a challenge by appellants, Banagher man and self described “lifelong environmentalist”, Desmond Kampff and co-appellant, Gwen Wordingham against the green light for the scheme.

The two told the High Court that they brought their case due to “critical” concerns about the proposed processing plant’s impact on the environment.

Now, the case is back before the board for a fresh adjudication with a decision due in August and the move comes almost six years after plans were lodged for the meat plant at Offaly Co Council in July 2019.

The meat processing facility will have the capacity to process 40 tonnes of meat per day and have the capacity to cater for 140 cattle per day.

Offaly Co Council granted planning permission for the proposal in July 2020