Objection campaign against Kilsaran tile factory plans

Residents of Kilcullen are urging neighbours to lodge objections to a proposed tile manufacturing plant at Kilsaran's Brownstown Quarry site, writes Brian Byrne.

The company has lodged a planning application for developments at their property in the adjacent townlands of Brownstown, Corbally and Silliott Hill.

In addition to seeking a continuance of their existing sand and gravel extraction and processing work at the site for a further 20 years, the application requests permission for the provision of new works including an office building and two proprietary sewage effluent treatment systems, dry batch mortar plant extension including plant and machinery, and a 'tile manufacturing plant'. All these along with associated switch-house, car parking, provision of two weighbridges, covered storage sheds, rerouting of internal access road to plant site, and the demolition of a storage shed and weighbridge.

Kilsaran also wants to extract sand and gravel to the south-west of previously permitted extraction area and an extension to the existing overburden storage mound, and the provision of landscaped screening berms and overburden storage mounds along perimeter of the site.

Residents of Lui na Greine, Moanbane, and Kilcullen generally have activated a campaign of objection to the application, on the basis that the site is not zoned for industry, the planned factory would run for 20 hours a day, that there would be increased noise, dust and traffic.

In addition, the requested extension and new facility would increase HGV traffic, and the residents are also concerned about the increased possibility of contamination of the water table, and increased air pollution from the tile factory.

Objections must be made by 6 December to the application, which has the file number 171224.