Green light for construction of new health facility in Tullamore

OFFALY County Council has granted conditional approval to Synergy Health Ireland Ltd for the construction of a sterilisation technology facility at Ballyduff in Tullamore.

The application had ignited a wave of objections from local residents who were concerned about the use of x-ray technology to sterilise, the potential increase in traffic and what they termed the ''imposing size of the facility.''

Offaly County Council had put the application 'on hold' while it evaluated further information which it sought from the company.

The proposed facility will have a maximum roof height of 19.65 metres with a flue extending to 22. 4 metres and a gross floor area of 6,726 sqm.

The development will front the Clara Road at Ballyduff and include the repositioning and upgrade of the two existing entrances to the site from Clara road. The provision of internal roads, footpaths and a bicycle path and 42 car parking spaces.

Enda Scally lives near the site earmarked for the development. Mr Scally said there is no indication of how the proposed industrial facility is designed to achieve compliance with the Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation Regulations 2019 or International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines and standards).

In addition he says that the overall height of the proposed industrial sterilisation facility is 2.4 times the height of the nearby units in Axis Business Park. He maintains that if built the industrial facility would have a direct effect on the visual amenities of the dwellings to the north and adjacent properties. ''Such an overbearing facility is contrary to proper planning and sustainable development,'' he said.

Mr Scally described the facility as bulky with large, high units that would result in overshadowing and appear visually dominant as viewed from the amenity space of the dwellings to the north. He also said it would seriously injure the residential visual amenities.

He stressed that under the county development plan, Arden Road and Ballyduff is zoned to facilitate strategic large-scale employment, but points out that the proposed facility will employ just 32 staff members.

Mr Scally said a more suitable site would be the county development planned Arden Med/Bio Technology Park, which he said would bring industry and R&D together allowing the industry to flourish within the town. In addition such a site is better located for logistical distribution with the N52 and M6.

''The indicative masterplan will depreciate the value of domestic property in the vicinity and thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the surrounding townlands. It will lead to unsustainable development on the land north of the grand canal and the town's northern environs,'' said Mr Scally.

Other submissions were related to concerns about possible emissions from the facility and the affects on health.

Enviroguide Consulting who carried out an assessment of the site reported that ''Whilst initially the proposed development will alter this rural hinterland landscape character, as the proposed landscaping matures in the short to medium term (plus7 years) the rural hinterland landscape character will largely return with native hedgerows and large trees (beech) dominating the roadside and the site edges.''

Meanwhile a report by Axiseng Engineers stated that building complies with building regulations requirements.