Slurry storage tanks with a capacity of up to 1,500 cubic metres should be exempt from planning, the farm organisations have claimed.

In their submissions on the review of exempted developments both the IFA and ICMSA said a freeing up of the planning regulations around slurry storage was urgently required.

The proposal is for a planning exemption for a stand-alone storage tank of up to 1,000 cubic metres with a total maximum capacity of no more than 1,500 cubic metres.

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Reacting to this proposal, the IFA stated: “Investments of this type need to be encouraged across all farms to safeguard water quality. To accelerate this investment and unlock its full potential we suggest that all farms regardless of existing storage capacity should be allowed increase slurry storage capacity by 1,500 cubic metres.”

Any new slurry storage exemptions must also include facilities for the storage on farms of digestate from anaerobic digester (AD) plants, IFA maintained.

The ICMSA also called for the planning exemption to be put in place for tanks taking up to 1,500 cubic metres irrespective of the current storage capacity on farms.

However, ICMSA said further information was required on the specifications and types of storage allowable.

“Farmers should receive the exemption within 14 days of applying and a simplified exemption is also required with simplified drawings,” ICMSA stated.

In relation to other suggested planning changes, ICMSA agreed with the proposal which increased the exemption for animal housing from 200 to 300 square metres but called for the upper limit to be raised to 400 square metres.

In addition, the aggregated threshold should be increased from 450 to 700 square metres, the ICMSA maintained.

The IFA called for farm-based AD plants to be exempted, where the units are using their own feedstuff and consuming energy produced within the holding. It also sought greater flexibility on farm-based wind energy developments.