Recycling firm claims Paul Hyde was involved in planning refusal for Cork facility, court told

Country Clean claim Mr Hyde, who was recently convicted for planning breaches, failed to declare a conflict of interest

The applicant claims that given his connection with the area it is highly likely that some or many of the objectors were known to Paul Hyde (pictured) and his family. File picture: Dan Linehan

A recycling firm wants to challenge An Bord Pleanála's refusal to allow it build a waste transfer station over an alleged failure by its then-Deputy Chairperson Paul Hyde to recuse himself from having any role in the decision.

The action has been brought by Country Clean Recycling Unlimited Company, which in 2021 was refused permission by the board to develop a building containing a waste transfer and recycling facility at Courtstown Industrial Estate, Little Island, Co. Cork.

Cork County Council had previously granted the applicant permission to build the facility. That decision was appealed to the board. However, despite a recommendation by the board's inspector to grant permission, the board refused to give the project the green light.

In its High Court action the applicant claims the board acted contrary to fair procedures and was guilty of bias in circumstances where Mr Hyde, when authorising the authentication of the board's decision, failed to declare a conflict of interest.

It is claimed that Mr Hyde spent a lot of time in his youth in the area. The proposed development is approximately one mile away from Mr Hyde's family, the company claims. In addition, many people from the locality objected to the proposed development, including golf clubs, a tidy towns committee.

The applicant claims that given Mr Hyde's connection with the area it is highly likely that some or many of the objectors were known to Mr Hyde and his family.

The applicant adds that this connection, combined with Mr Hyde's recent conviction for planning breaches, gives rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias in the board's decision-making process. He should have recused himself from having any role in the making the decision, it is claimed, but failed to do so.

Other grounds of the action include that the board took irrelevant considerations into account when it arrived at its decision.

Orders sought

In its judicial review action against the board the applicant, represented by Oisin Collins SC, seeks various orders and declarations from the court including an order quashing the refusal to grant it permission to develop the facility.

It also seeks orders allowing it to formally extend the time allowed to bring its action, as well as orders requiring the board to furnish the applicant with all information and documentation it has in relation to the application.

The matter came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who on an ex-parte basis granted the applicant permission to bring the challenge. The matter will return before the court in December.

Earlier this year Mr Hyde was given a two-month jail sentence for breaches of planning laws. Mr Hyde, 50, had pleaded guilty in June to two offences contrary to Section 147 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. 

Mr Hyde, of Castlefields, Baltimore, Co. Cork, resigned his position with the planning board last year, having first been appointed as a member of ABP in September 2014. His appeal against the two-month sentence will be heard in November.