My submission to An Bord Pleanála
The Secretary
An Bord Pleanála
Strategic Infrastructure Development
64 Marlborough Street
Dublin 1 14th August 2018
A Chara,
Irish Water has submitted a planning application for a new Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant at Clonshaugh Dublin 17, reference number 06F.PC0152. We are strongly opposed to this proposal.
Location
This agricultural site is totally unsuitable for such development given its close proximity to densely populated areas including Clonshaugh, Priorswood, and Darndale as well as the new estates on the Northern Fringe such as Clongriffin, Clarehall, and Belmayne. A Waste Water Treatment Plant has the potential to seriously injure the residential amenities of the householders living in these estates. The site is also close to Dublin Airport and the Clayton Hotel, and the plant has the capacity to impact considerably on the operation of these business concerns. In addition, this site is very close to the parkland known as Priorswood Park which is bounded by Clonshaugh Road, the R139 and Clonshaugh Park, and poses a real health and safety risk to the many frequent users of this park on a daily basis including many children.
Construction Phase
We are concerned about the inevitable noise arising from the construction phase of the plant itself and the outflow pipes should the project proceed. In addition, construction traffic should not be allowed to use Baskin Lane or Clonshaugh Road which are only minor country roads and were never built for the amount of traffic using them. Traffic disruption at the Malahide Road/Baskin Lane junction would also be a major problem if the outflow pipes are built as planned.
Noise
Local residents will suffer constant and ongoing noise pollution as a result of the operation of the plant.
Odour
This is a major worry, having regard to what the residents living beside the Ringsend plant had to endure despite assurances given to them previously. Odour will be inevitable regardless of the odour suppression measures put in place. Inadequate design structures and maintenance operations of the plant will give rise to increased odour problems. Bewleys Coffee based at Northern Cross emits a coffee smell which can be experienced by householders living within a radius of several miles and the real fear is that this will also be the situation in the case of odours coming from the new plant.
Traffic
Numerous lorry movements in the area connected to the operation of the plant will greatly diminish the quality of life of local residents. Traffic on the major and minor roads in this locality has already reached saturation point.
Treatment
Secondary treatment is completely inadequate in this high technological and scientific age.
Visual Amenities
The plant will be visually obtrusive given its proposed height.
Wildlife
A large scale Waste Water Treatment Plant will seriously affect the bird and wildlife of this agricultural area. This includes baggers, hares, buzzards, and wild pheasants. The European Habitats, Birds, and EIA Directives will potentially be breached should this planning application be granted.
Pollution
There is a distinct threat of pollution resulting from the normal operation of the plant or from an accident or systems failure. The deliberate release of raw sewage through the marine outfall pipe is a real possibility.
The entire of Dublin Bay was designated as a Biosphere in order to protect its sensitive ecosystem. This designation took place after the site at Clonshaugh was selected for this plant.
The following special areas are under threat should this plan succeed;
Dublin Bay, North Bull Island, Portmarnock Strand, Baldoyle Estuary, Lambay Island, Skerries Island, Rockabill, Malahide Estuary, Ireland’s Eye, Balbriggan/Skerries Designated Shellfish Waters, and Malahide Designated Shellfish Waters. Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, and Shellfish Waters Designations are especially relevant in this case.
We are vehemently opposed to the principal of large scale Regional Waste Water Treatment Plants. The provision of localised plants is more environmentally sustainable and in keeping with environmental principles generally. Sewage should be treated as close as possible to the source of its production and it would be preferable to provide multiple smaller treatment plants to avoid the possibility of a major environmental disaster.
In short, this proposal is contrary to proper planning and development and constitutes a public health threat to residents living in the area given the detrimental affect the operation of the plant will have on their air quality.
Finally, given the scale of opposition to this proposal and the complexity of the issues involved we are requesting that an oral hearing be provided for in respect of this application so that these concerns can be dealt with in public.
Yours sincerely,
Seán Haughey TD Cllr. Seán Paul Mahon
FF Spokesperson on EU Affairs Dublin City Council
Haughey Calls for Public Hearing on Clonshaugh Sewage Plant
- Local TD submits objection to An Bord Pleanála -
Local Fianna Fáil TD, Sean Haughey has expressed his strong opposition to the proposed develop0ment of a Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant at Clonshaugh Dublin 17.
Commenting following last night’s well attended public meeting held in Priorswood, Deputy Haughey said, “I have been keeping residents up to speed and have submitted my formal objection to this drainage project on behalf of local homeowners this week.
“Clonshaugh and District is a densely populated and rapidly growing area. If completed, this €1 billion euro plant would be four times the size of Croke Park and has the potential to seriously injure the residential amenities of homeowners in the entire greater Dublin area.
“Should this project be permitted to go ahead, Ireland would become the only European country to allow such an environmentally adverse practice to be carried out. It baffles me how this could be considered given the likely impact on public health.
“The unique birds and wildlife which habitat the Dublin Bay will also inevitably be badly affected.
“We have to accept that waste water management must feature in an urban landscape but it can and should operate in harmony with residents and fit into the surrounding environment. The provision of smaller treatment plants is more sustainable and in keeping with environmental principles generally.
“These plans are not the solution to effective water treatment and an oral hearing must be provided so that residents’ concerns can be dealt with in public.
“The closing date for submissions is tomorrow evening at 5:30pm and I encourage everyone to take the time to share their concerns with An Bord Pleanála,” he concluded.