Glenmore Estate Farms has withdrawn a planning application to demolish and rebuild the farmyard at the 2,400ac An Grianán farm in Burt, Co Donegal, according to county council records. The proposed development included two sheds of 17,100m2 each, six 15m x 80m silage pits and 24 milking robots to increase cattle numbers from 1,200 to 2,000 at the organic dairy farm. The company, which bought An Grianán for €17.4m last year, may lodge a new application at any point.

Separately, Glenmore has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that it recently took over a site where Donegal Farm Relief Services had previously obtained planning permission to build an anaerobic digestor (AD) and produce biogas in Castlefinn, Co Donegal. Preliminary works have now begun.

The Glenmore group of companies already operates an AD in the county in Ballyboffey and has another plant at the planning stage in Gort, Co Galway.

Planning application for advanced farm biogas plant in Co Donegal

Sheds larger than GAA pitches for An Grianán

Bord na Móna joins biogas rush

An Grianán planning application withdrawn

The Glenmore group of companies has put its plans on hold for the redevelopment of the country's largest organic dairy farm, but continues to invest in renewable gas.