NEWS: Residents of Tipperary town voice concern about plant set to be built in local area

Residents of Tipperary town are voicing concerns about whether a nearby site is the right location for a plant that would convert organic material into renewable gas, carbon dioxide, and natural fertiliser.

Tipperary County Council is reviewing the planning application. Members of the public may submit observations until February 22, referencing application number 2660031.

The facility is planned for Ballinard, just two kilometres from the heart of Tipperary town.

Each year, the facility would turn 90,000 tonnes of local farm waste and crop material into high-quality renewable gas for the grid. The gas would move through a pipeline just 300 meters away, with more than 9,900 tonnes of material coming from the farm of lead applicant Andrew Kiely. The Government supports projects like this to increase renewable energy and reduce pollution from fossil fuels.

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The council has requested feedback from several organisations, including the HSA, HSE, Inland Fisheries, Waterways Ireland, Uisce Éireann, NPWS, the Department of Housing and Heritage, the Heritage Council, the EPA, the SEAI, and its own Roads, Water, Fire Service, and Environment departments. The site is also near a Holy well.

So far, only one local resident has formally raised concerns, citing road safety with increased traffic, possible odours drifting near homes, the need for better roads, noise from the site, and what he calls a lack of local consultation. Others in the community are also uneasy about how licensed discharges into the River Arra could affect the town’s future, possibly restricting Uisce Éireann’s ability to expand wastewater treatment and support new homes and businesses.