Inspector's Report PA0045
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Inspector’s Report PA0045. Development Resource Recovery Centre development, comprising a Waste to Energy Facility (waste incinerator with energy recovery) for the treatment of non-hazardous and hazardous waste. The development also includes an upgrade to a section of the L2545 road; coastal protection measures on Gobby Beach; a connection to the national electricity distribution grid; the raising the ground levels in part of the site; the provision of an amenity For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. walkway along the eastern and part southern boundary of the site and associated works. Location Ringaskiddy, County Cork. Applicant Indaver Ireland. Type of Application Application to the Board pursuant to section 37E. Dates of Site Inspection 14th March 2016, 5th April 2016, 21st th April 2016, 6 September 2016 Inspector Derek Daly. 04.PA0045 An Bord Pleanála Page 1 of 144 EPA Export 20-07-2019:03:55:48 1.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 2.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.0 POLICY CONTEXT 5.0 SUBMISSION FROM CORK COUNTY COUNCIL 6.0 SUBMISSIONS FROM PROSCRIBED AND PUBLIC BODIES 6.1 The Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht. 6.2 The Health and Safety Authority. 6.3 An Taisce. 6.4 HSE South. 6.5 Irish Water. 6.5 Southern Regional Assembly. 6.7 South Regional Waste Management Office 6.8 Transport Infrastructure Ireland. 6.9 EPA. 6.10 Department of Defence. 7.0 OBSERVER SUBMISSIONS 7.1 Public Representatives. 7.2 Organisations and Community Groups. 7.3 Other observers. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 8.0 OVERVIEW OF ORAL HEARING 9.0 ASSESSMENT 10.0 ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT 11.0 APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT 12.0 CONCLUSIONS 13.0 RECOMMENDATION 04.PA0045 An Bord Pleanála Page 2 of 144 EPA Export 20-07-2019:03:55:48 1.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 1.1 The site is located approximately 15km to the south-east of Cork City, in the townland of Ringaskiddy at the eastern extremity of the Ringaskiddy Peninsula in the lower part of Cork Harbour. The site is located approximately 800m east of the village of Ringaskiddy. The Ringaskiddy area includes a large number of industries and commercial activities including pharmaceutical industries, a car ferry terminal and a deep water port facility. Ringaskiddy is connected to Cork and the wider national road network via the N28 National Primary Route. 1.2 There is an alternative and secondary access to the Ringaskiddy area via the R619 from Carrigaline a regional road, which is quite narrow and is substandard in alignment and which terminates at a junction with the N28 at Ringaskiddy village. 1.3 The N28 itself commences on the Cork southern ring road the N40 at the Bloomfield Interchange by-passing Douglas village and continues south to the Shannonvale roundabout. At this roundabout traffic for Carrigaline a major dormitory town leaves the N28. The overall N28 varies in both width and alignment from the Broomfield junction to Ringaskiddy. North of Shannonpark roundabout, along a section referred to as Carr’s Hill, it is quite narrow and rural in character and overtaking manoeuvres are difficult. 1.4 The L2545 is an eastern continuation of the N28 to Haulbowline Island and although having a lower designation the carriageway of the road is of a width to provide for an adequate passing facility for two large vehicles. The L2545 defines the northern boundary of the site. The eastern boundary of the site extends to the foreshore of Cork Lower Harbour along Gobby Beach. The road turns north immediately to the west of the beach area to serve both Rocky Island and Haulbowline For inspection Island. purposes There only. is a public car park adjoining the Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. right angle bend and pedestrian access from the car park onto Gobby Beach. This car park is within the confines of the appeal site. 1.5 The lands to the immediate south and west of the site under consideration are in agricultural use and at a higher level to the site. On these lands beyond the site’s southern boundary there is a high voltage electricity line. In addition, to the south of the site is a Martello tower. There is a walkway through the site from the car park to the Martello Tower. On the higher sections of the site there are extensive views over the outer and middle areas of Cork Harbour and the islands in the harbour including Great Island (Cobh), Haulbowline and Spike Island. 1.6 The site itself is irregular in configuration and surrounds and wraps around an existing commercial development the Hammond Lane Metal Recycling Co. Ltd. Facility, which has independent access onto the L2545. The site in effect bounds the Hammond Lane facility on three of the Hammond Lane site boundaries. 04.PA0045 An Bord Pleanála Page 3 of 144 EPA Export 20-07-2019:03:55:48 1.7 The site is currently covered in scrub with some pockets of trees and open grass areas and there is a rise in level southwards on the site which has a stated area of approximately 13.55 hectares. There is a particular defined rise in level on the site after an initial level area immediately adjoining the public road. 1.8 On the opposite (northern side) of the L2545 are the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC) campus, and warehousing some of which are accessed from the section of road running northwards to Haulbowline Island. 1.9 On the western approach to Ringaskiddy Village fronting onto the N28 there are industrial/pharmaceutical industries, most notably Pfizer which is located on a large campus and which has an extensive road frontage. 2.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 2.1 The proposed development as submitted on the 13th of January 2016 and as referred to in public notices provides for the following elements, 2.1.1 A Resource Recovery Centre development, comprising a Waste to Energy Facility (WTE) for the treatment of non-hazardous and hazardous waste. The proposed development consists principally of a waste-to-energy facility for the treatment of up to 240,000 tonnes per annum of residual household, commercial, industrial, non-hazardous and suitable hazardous waste. Of the 240,000 tonnes of waste, up to 24,000 tonnes per annum of suitable hazardous waste will be treated at the facility. Examples of suitable hazardous waste it is indicated include materials from industry such as contaminated For inspection personal purposes only. protective equipment/clothing, filters, Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. absorbents, redundant over-the-counter preparations, medicines, and raw materials such as sugars, starches and gelatine tablet coatings. These streams are classified as hazardous in compliance with the European Waste Catalogue due to their chemical or physical properties. However, this does not imply that they are dangerous to handle (i.e. they may be handled by householders and businesses regularly). Energy and ferrous and non-ferrous metals will be recovered at the facility. The WTE facility which is located in the eastern area of the site between the Hammond Lane facility and Gobby Beach provides for the following elements, • The process building, which include the main stages of the WTE process including waste acceptance and tipping area; the conveyance of material for combustion; the furnace and boiler area. In addition, the building includes a warehouse for spare parts storage, an administration area containing facilities and offices for the waste-to- energy operations staff and a laboratory, and a workshop. The building it is stated is up to 11,255m² in total floor area. 04.PA0045 An Bord Pleanála Page 4 of 144 EPA Export 20-07-2019:03:55:48 • The main process building will be up to 176m x 81m in plan and up to 45.7m in height, with a stack extending to 75m above Ordnance Datum (70m above ground level) located at the west of the building. • The administration building and security gate house and weighbridges located to the northwest of the process of the process building. The building is a two-storey building located to the west of the main entrance. The building primarily provides office space and meeting rooms for staff but will also have a visitors’ centre and a training centre. The building including the gate house is stated as up to 998m² total floor area with a maximum height of 8.2m high above ground level. The security gate house is single storey in height. • The turbine hall with a stated floor area of 375m² and up to 16m high and aero-condenser structure located to the south of the process building will house the steam turbine. • The aero-condenser structure which is single-storey, 482m² in area and up to 16m high will be located adjacent to the turbine hall and will support the air cooled condenser fans. • Firewater storage tank, 2,200m³ in volume, up to 11m high and pump house in the southeastern corner of the site. The Pump House is single-storey, up to 157m² in floor area and up to 6m high. • Surface water attenuation tank and firewater retention tank for the storage of surface water and potentially contaminated water, following use in fighting a fire, will be located underneath the administration building car park in the northern part of the site. • Light fuel oil storage tank, aqueous ammonia storage tank and unloading area, nitrogen generation and storage to the south of the main process building and west of the aero-condenser structure.