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Sewage-to-sea decision next month
24.05.10
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
ALMOST 12 months after An Bord Pleanála’s oral
hearing into the proposed Moville/Greencastle
sewerage scheme began, campaigners are hopeful that
a decision will finally be made by the end of June.
The planning appeals body sought further information
last month from Donegal County Council on the
environmental impact of pumping sewage into Lough
Foyle. The council’s response was shared with
objectors in the Carnagarve area. Objectors were
given the opportunity of making further written
submissions and a substantial number of submissions
were made by the deadline of Tuesday last.
Donegal County Council has proposed a wastewater
treatment plant with a capacity to serve 9,000
residents in the Moville/Greencastle area. The
proposed plant will discharge treated effluent into
Lough Foyle at a depth of 10m some 300m from the
shore at Lafferty’s Lane, Carnagarve. Local
residents and environmentalists have opposed the
plan. |
An Bord Pleanála held
an oral hearing in Redcastle last June and the
recent clarifications sought are thought to be the
last part of the jigsaw before it makes its final
ruling.
“We were very encouraged by the wide-ranging queries
raised by An Bord Pleanála into the Council’s
environmental impact statement (EIS),” said Enda
Craig, a local resident and spokesperson for the
Community for a Clean Estuary. “They seem to have
concerns in the same vein as ourselves.”
Mr Craig claimed Donegal County Council’s response
to An Bord Pleanála’s queries was 'poor', mostly
restating aspects of their EIS.
“We’re not down and out of the ring yet,” Mr Craig
said. |
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“This is not over by a
long shot. With the concerns we’ve raised, we’re
hopeful that An Bord Pleanála will do the right
thing and refuse permission for this plant.”
Should the planning appeal go against the residents,
Mr Craig said they would consider seeking a judicial
review.
Owing to industrial action at County House in
Lifford with staff refusing to answer telephones,
Donegal County Council could not be contacted for a
comment. |
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