Council seeking further information on plan for biogas plant at Stackallen
Meath County Council planners have sought further information on plans for an agricultural biogas plant at Stackallen, Slane.
Martin Naughton is seeking permission to build an agricultural biogas renewable energy facility consisting of two primary digester tanks, two secondary digester tanks with pump room, a pasteurisation unit with auxiliary tanks and emergency flare.
Permission is also sought for two agricultural solid feeders, two underground pre-reception tanks, two covered agricultural digestate storage tanks, a gas combined heat and power Unit, a site office/control building with staff car parking area, a wastewater treatment system and percolating area and biogas upgrading treatment and compression system. The plans concern lands measuring a total of just over five hectares at Stackallen, Slane.
A public information day was held in November of last year to brief residents on the proposals. Locals were given an information pack detailing the need for the plant and how it would operate in the community.
The documentation explained how the facility would take in agriculture energy crops such as grass silage, multi species sward and hybrid rye as well as animal manures such as cattle slurry and farmyard manure.
It was outlined that the facility would generate biogas from these inputs, which would then be upgraded to biomethane gas and sold to local users to decarbonise their industries.
The by-product would be processed into a sustainable bio-fertiliser which will be sold back to the farmers who provide the feedstock to the plant.
A submission from the board of management of Stackallen NS asked that if planning is granted that it be made a condition that none or the traffic relating to the development be permitted to use the northern end of French Lane. The submission stated that "any increase in traffic along that stretch of French Lane will have a very significant impact on the safety of the children of our school and the parents attending to drop off and collect their children".
It also pointed out that because of limited parking, a one-way system is in operation at French Lane at school drop off and collection times and that "the proposed construction traffic and operational traffic would significantly conflict with this arrangement and would give rise to significant traffic hazard along this rural lane".
Meath County Council last week sought further information in relation to the plan including requesting a visual impact assessment after raising "serious concerns" about the impact of the proposed development, in particular the tank height of the agricultural gas treatment system, on the character of Stackallen House and the setting of the Stackallen Demense architectural conservation area and national monuments adjoining the site.