A decision to refuse planning permission for a 48,000t anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Mayo has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála.

The project, located in Swinford, Co Mayo, was designed to be fully supplied with agricultural feedstock from local farmers, with 35% sourced from slurry and 65% from multispecies grass swards.

The AD plant was set to produce biomethane gas, biofertiliser and CO2. The development included two primary and two post digesters, two digestate storage tanks, feeders, storage clamps, a digestate dryer and a pelletising building on a 10ac site.

However, the project received significant opposition from the neighbouring area and the developer, Moy Valley Biogas, was refused planning permission on two occasions by Mayo County Council.

Decision

Moy Valley Biogas appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála and, after 63 weeks, received a decision.

The board found the site is located on a minor country road that is seriously substandard in terms of width and alignment. It also stated the site is accessible from the heavily trafficked N5, where a 100km/h speed limit applies, and traffic turning movements would interfere with the safety and free flow of traffic.

It was deemed that the development would necessitate significant and excessive improvements to the local road network.

The board also said it was not satisfied that the proposal would not be likely to have a significant effect on the River Moy Special Area of Conservation (SAC).