Kerrygold secures approval for €40m extension of its butter factory in Mitchelstown

The new proposed facilities will include an extra 1,550m² of production space and almost 2,000m² of storage space as well as seven 15-metre high liquid storage silos. Picture: Clare Keogh

A subsidiary of Ornua has secured planning permission for a €40m expansion of the Kerrygold butter plant in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.

An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Cork County Council to approve the extension of the existing facility at Kerrygold Park in the north Cork town following an objection by a local resident.

Ornua, which was known as the Irish Dairy Board up to 2015, had through its subsidiary, Kerrygold Butter Packing Ireland, sought approval for the expansion in order to double the capacity of its operations in Mitchelstown.

The company wants to increase annual production at the plant, which opened in 2016, from 40,000 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes.

The new proposed facilities will include an extra 1,550m² of production space and almost 2,000m² of storage space as well as seven 15-metre high liquid storage silos.

Ornua said the plans provided for new butter churn and cream processing infrastructure, two new packaging lines and additional cold storage and distribution space.

To address local concerns, it stated all access to and from the plant would continue via the existing access road to the plant from the N73 Kildorrery roundabout.

Rejecting the appeal by a local resident who opposed the development on grounds of unacceptable odours and nuisance from the plant as well as unsealed heavy goods vehicles going to and from the factory, An Bord Pleanála ruled the extension would not seriously injure the amenities of the area and would not be prejudicial to public health.

The board said it would also be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.

The appellant, a consultant engineer, had not objected to the development in principle but said he was anxious that his concerns about traffic, odour and noise would be addressed.

An Taisce also raised objections about the impact of the development on the environment claiming existing milk production levels were already causing significant environmental damage with the extension set to increase emissions of carbon dioxide and ammonia.

A planning inspector with An Bord Pleanála acknowledged such concerns but claimed the planning application was not the mechanism “to address a national policy issue.” Cork County Council claimed the appeal had been an attempt by the objector to resolve an issue about odours from a nearby wastewater treatment plant operated by Dairygold via the planning process.

Ornua has indicated construction work on the extension will take about 12 months to complete.