Chase campaigners will ask judge to quash planning permission for incinerator
Local residents and students of the National Maritime College, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, protesting against Indaver's plans to build a municipal and industrial waste incinerator just 20m from the college entrance, in 2016. Picture: Denis Scannell
Campaigners will seek to have planning permission quashed for the Cork harbour incinerator after the High Court found on Friday that An Bord Pleanála's decision was biased.
Mr Justice David Barniville also found in favour of Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (Chase), in relation to arguments made concerning the interpretation of Strategic Infrastructure Development provisions of the 2000 Planning Act.
The case has been adjourned to April 13, with the judge saying he would “need a lot of persuasion” to reach a conclusion he should quash the permission for the €160m incinerator, without returning the matter for reconsideration by the board.
However, Chase chairperson Mary O’Leary said the decision has been welcomed locally as a huge win.
“We are delighted with the decision. It's been a long 20 years. And the community has fundraised three-quarters of a million euro to support this campaign,” Ms O’Leary said.
“Without them, we couldn't sustain the campaign. So it's been a real team effort in terms of the communities here, so I'm sure everybody is delighted,” she added.
Linda Fitzpatrick, a member of Chase who lives locally, says the local community is delighted with the decision.
Another local, Steve Thornhill, said he was cautiously optimistic with the ruling, and hopes he and others in the area will have more to celebrate come April 13.
Mr Thornhill described the idea of building an incinerator “in this day and age” as “crazy.”
“We really need the Government to step in now, and to help us out by adopting policies that actually fit in with the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Change Agreement, the circular economy directive from the European Union,” Mr Thornhill said.
