Cork incinerator would contravene county plan

THE PROPOSAL by Indaver Ireland to build a €150 million incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour would require a material contravention of the Cork County Development Plan, the oral hearing into the proposed facility was told yesterday.

Cork County Council senior planner Paul Murphy told the sixth day of An Bord Pleanála’s hearing that the proposal materially contravenes specific zoning objectives of both the 2003 and 2009 development plans.

Mr Murphy said that the county council had previously refused planning permission for an earlier proposal by Indaver in 2003 but that it was granted permission by the planning board following a lengthy oral hearing.

The board’s inspector at that hearing recommended against granting planning on 14 grounds, but An Bord Pleanála’s board disagreed and granted planning, citing as its primary reason that the incinerator constituted “a necessary national public utility”.

Mr Murphy said the county council questioned the need for the facility, in particular a municipal waste incinerator element, as the Waste Management Plan for Cork County 2004 does not include incineration as an option for dealing with waste.

“The initial targets outlined in the landfill directive for 2010 and 2013 can be met without incineration. The development of such a facility could divert waste away from prevention, material recovery/reuse and recycling,” Mr Murphy said.

The county council was also concerned that the proposed building, with a maximum height of 48.27 metres and stack with a maximum height of 90.77 metres on such a prominent position on Ringaskiddy peninsula, could have a significant visual impact on the harbour area.

“It will impact not only upon the established areas around Ringaskiddy but also upon those areas regularly frequented by the public, especially for walking, such as Monkstown, Currabinny and Camden and areas of relatively high population such as Cobh,” he said.