D-Day looms for Gort biogas project

An Bord Pleanála is due to announce its decision on the controversial biogas manufacturing plant in Gort by the end of this week – with campaigners hopeful that the plan will be rejected putting to bed a saga that has dragged on for years.

Following opposition from hundreds of locals, Galway County Council turned down an application from Donegal-based Sustainable Bio-Energy Ltd to construct a €40 million facility on the outskirts of the town, citing a potential traffic hazard and concern that the development would be “visually obtrusive”.

Those behind the proposed plant, which would be located on a 25-acre site one mile from the town centre, appealed the Council’s decision to An Bord Pleanála.

Flor Burke of Gort Biogas Concern Group told the Connacht Tribune that locals were anticipating that the Board would uphold the Council’s decision.

“The Council has refused planning permission for this in the past, so it seems to me that it would be very strange if [An Bord Pleanála] were to overturn that.

“Our hope would be that An Bord Pleanála would refuse permission and would include a note that this is a totally unsuitable location for any development like this and that would be the end of it,” said Mr Burke.

If approved, the plant would utilise anaerobic digestion technology to produce renewable energy and organic fertilizer. In the original application to the County Council, it was stated that some 3,000 acres of pasture land would be required to supply the plant with grass silage.

See the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download our digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie