Planning application lodged for major quarry in Slieve Bloom beauty spot
Locals worried about industrial development in a tourism area
A PLANNING application has been lodged with Laois County Council to create a major quarry in a beauty spot in the Slieve Bloom mountains.
Breedon Ireland wants to develop a 20 acre quarry in the townlands of Mounthall and Cummer in a valley called Glendine East. The valley rises up to Fanning Pass and Ard Erin (the highest peak in the hills).
Breedon wants to reopen and greatly expand a sand and gravel pit which hasn't been operational for many years. The company wishes to extract sand and gravel for a period of ten years.
The planning application, which appeared in The Irish Times, states that an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and a Natura Impact Statement have been carried out and submitted with the application. “Significant further information,” it states, “has been furnished to the Planning Authority in respect of this proposed development and is available for inspection or purchase for a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours.” There is about three weeks remaining to make a submission or observation.
Despite these assurances in the Planning Application a number of people living in the Slieve Bloom region remain sceptical of the application and remain opposed to the proposed development. One local told the Tribune that the quarry will be right beside a Special Protection Area. “This is a very important tourism area,” he said, “and, for that reason alone, the quarry shouldn't be permitted. I'm sceptical of Breedon's claim that it will replace 51,000 tonnes of topsoil after the quarrying work has been done in a decade's time. I think this very large quarry will destroy the peace of the area.”
Another local said the extracted sand and gravel will be driven to Kinnegad at the rate of 15 to 16 truckloads every day. She said a call to strengthen a bridge in Glendine was made during a recent Council meeting. “This bridge is further up the valley towards the Fanning Pass. Is the bridge being strengthened for heavy trucks? Does this mean that trucks will be driving up Glendine East and down Glendine West (in Offaly) on their way to Kinnegad?”