Appeal lodged against Screggan quarry extension planning refusal

A decision by Offaly County Council to refuse planning permission to extend the extraction area at a quarry in the Screggan area of Tullamore has been appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála by local company, Condron Concrete.

In a decision issued in February, the Offaly planning authority ruled that the proposed development “may be prejudicial to public health” due to it being located within the Agall public water source protection area, which is used for domestic and public water supplies. “In the absence of satisfactory details to the contrary,” planners stated that the project “may cause adverse effects on the local ground water quality, composition and water levels.”

In their appeal – which is due to be decided by June 29 next - Condron Concrete said the reason for refusal of planning permisssion is “grounded in the absence of a submission from Uisce Eireann to Offaly County Council confirming that the proposed development will not impact the Agall public water source”.

The company said they had “engaged productively” with Uisce Eireann since the refusal decision was issued. They added that it is “reasonably anticipated” that Uisce Eireann will confirm that the proposed development will not have the potential for an adverse impact on the Agall public water source “should the Commission decided to invite a submission” from them. In the appeal documentation, the Commission is “respectfully requested” to invite Uisce Eireann to make a submission under their terms of reference.

The appeal also points out that precedent decisions on the site made by the State planning board previously had concluded that “the continued and planned” extraction of aggregate would not adversely affect that source protection zone. They add that these precedent decisions are “now robustly supported” by continuous and comprehensive groundwater monitoring and hydroecological assessment undertaken since 2017 as part of the conditions attached to the board's decisions, and also by additional monitoring and site investigations carried out as part of the current planning application.

The proposed development is also supported by national policy, according to the appeal documents, which establishes “a clear, ongoing demand for aggregates” for projects such as housing construction, planned roads, public transport, water services and commercial development.

The appeal documents also point out that the application by Condron Concrete for a 30-year permission to facilitate the “continuation of extraction and ancillary activities” at its active sand and gravel pit known as 'Agall Quarry; at Screggan is for an established pit which the company has been operating since 1985, and where the extraction of sand and gravel first commenced in circa 1910.

Condron Concrete had sought a planning permission of 30 years from Offaly County Council for the completion of a proposed development at the Agall Quarry site, within the townslands of Agall and Glaskill, Screggan consisting of further quarry development concerning an authorised quarry; an extension of the area of the quarry into known aggregate reserves; provision of boundary berms, provision of an access route to the new extraction areas; re-commencement of quarry works within 3.81ha of the lands already subject to quarrying consent and permission to quarry 2m deeper than existing quarry floors permitted under existing consent; continued use of existing established pit infrastructure; and phased restoration of the site. The company also sought permission for dry screening and short-term stockpiling of aggregates over an application area of 17 ha.

The planning application attracted a total of eleven submission from residents living in the vicinity of the Agall Quarry, including a petition from the Agall Residents Association signed by almost 40 residents. Concerns raised in the submissions related to noise pollution; air quality; increased traffic; environmental damage; water pollution; quality of life; mental health impacts; property values and insurability.