This article is from page 6 of the 2008-04-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
CLARE COUNTY Council yester- day granted planning permission for contentious plans to construct a €10 million explosives plant along the shore of the Shannon estuary.
In the county’s longest running planning saga, the council gave Shan- non Explosives Ltd the go-ahead to construct the plant at Cahercon pier, GTC Ay am
However, the council decision 1s unlikely to be the last move and the decision is to be appealed by An Bord Pleanala by opponents of the scheme.
The Kildysart Explosives Factory Opposition Group (KEFOG) yester- day confirmed that they would be ap- pealing the decision and stated that, if necessary, the group would take a legal challenge to stop the plan from proceeding.
Confirming that they will be seek- ing an oral hearing in the case, the spokesman said, “We have opposed the plan for seven and a half years and will oppose it for another seven and a half years if necessary.”
Plans were first lodged for the scheme in 1999 and the council gave the plan the go-ahead in January UE
The decision was appealed by op- ponents and An Bord Pleanala re- fused planning permission in March 2003.
Without a sod being turned on the scheme, the Whelan Group has al- ready spent almost €7 million on the Ke) (elm
When operational, the plant will provide employment for close to 35 people and contribute €3 million an- nually to the local economy.
An Taisce, the Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) and local resi-
dents, including (KEFOG), objected.
A spokesman for the Whelan Group which owns Shannon Explosives Ltd said that they welcome the decision.
The spokesman for KEFOG said, “We are not in the least surprised by the council’s decision because it has never taken any of our views on lexey-VKeR
“It is just passing the parcel to An Bord Pleanala.”
He said that one of the conditions for the development involves road widening and one of the owners of the land is a member of KEFOG and will not sell the land to allow Shan- non Explosives Ltd widen the route.
Shannon Explosives has also to se- cure a foreshore license as part of the planning application. He said, “The bottom line is that 1f it becomes nec- essary, we will take a legal challenge. We have taken it before and we do have the capacity and will to do so.”