Tully Poultry litter plant extension gets green light despite objections

A PLANNING application to extend an existing Centralised Anaerobic Digestion Plant (CAD) at Tully Quarry - at a cost of £70 million - was approved at last week's Mid and East Antrim Planning Committee.

The location is at 116 Moorfields Road and the applicant is Stream Bio Energy Ltd.

The proposed plant will have the capacity to process up to 200,000 tonnes of poultry litter per annum and the ability to produce up to 15MW of electricity for export to the National Grid.

The existing CAD produces up to 3MW of electricity from up to 40,000 tonnes of poultry litter.

It is expected that around 150 jobs will be created directly and indirectly during the construction phase, while 45 permanent jobs will be created once the facility is operational as well as a further 100 jobs during as a result of supply.

Despite the proposal receiving 26 objections, it was proposed by DUP Cllr Thomas Gordon, seconded by UUP Cllr Keith Turner, to approve the plans.

Objections raised related to noise, odour and light pollution, however, it was said that measures had been taken to mitigate these concerns.

A report was presented to councillors detailing that the larger quarry site in question is home to the existing Tully Quarry and associated features, a waste transfer facility and an existing operational Centralised Anaerobic Plant.

The application site is positioned immediately South East of the existing CAD on a previously extracted portion of the quarry.

Beyond the overall quarry site, the surrounding area is characteristically rural and outside any restrictive or sensitive designations.

A Northstone Quarry is situated approximately 600 metres North East of the application site.

There are numerous dispersed single dwellings in the area surrounding the application site, the closest of which is 280 metres from the closest proposed stack.

Access to the proposed facility is proposed via the existing site entrance.

The CAD facility includes 12 additional digester tanks, nine buffer/storage tanks, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, two gas buffer domes, process building, digestive treatment plant, bio-methane gas upgrade plant, odour control plant, staff facilities, weighbridge, wheel wash, substation, parking, access improvement/lane widening, landscaping and ancillary plant/site works.

It was said that the proposed location in County Antrim 'is based around the fact that County Antrim has one of the largest concentrations of intensive poultry farms and consequently the CAD is located within close proximity to the resource required to generate the energy'.

No objections to the plans were posed by Environmental Health, NI Water, Public Health Agency, Rivers Agency, NIEA, DfI Roads, Shared Environmental Service, NI Electricity, DAERA Veterinary Service, Historic Environment Division and the Health and Safety Executive.

The report referred to the objections raised in relation to noise, odour and light pollution.

Members were told that these issues have been considered through consultation with Council's Environment Services Team and NIEA.

NOISE

The report highlighted that the noise and odour information submitted with the planning application 'demonstrates that the required noise and odour levels can be achieved'.

It said that 'suitable planning conditions have been suggested that will ensure that the noise and odour mitigation measures proposed is provided should planning permission be granted'.

The report added: "Given the distances between the nearby dwellings and the proposed development, the likelihood of light nuisance occurring is small and if it did occur it would be negligible.'

It was also said that the natural environment 'will not be adversely affected by the proposed development' and there was 'no verifiable evidence to suggest that nearby property values will be negatively impacted upon'.

The applicant attended the meeting remotely and along with an Odour and Air Quality Specialist assured members that all handling of the poultry litter would be indoors and would be odour treated internally.

Members were told that there was a stage 3 odour limit, but the plant had been designed to a capacity of 1.5, significantly below the stated regulations.

It was said that noise mitigations were already in place as a result of Phase 1 operations, and that Phase 1 and Phase 2 had been tested both individually and combined, and both complied with regulations.

Regarding light issues, lamps had been pointed downwards and all lights are currently turned off at 9pm and this will continue into Phase 2 of the project.

It was said that phosphorus substances would be taken from the agricultural sector and released to other sectors such as horticulture, which would help alleviate phosphorus issues.

It was also said that no effluents or storm water would enter into the water course and there would be rain water harvesting on site.

Cllr Thomas Gordon said that he was "very pleased to propose we accept to grant this planning proposal".

He said he thought this would be a great facility and that poultry litter had been a problem in Northern Ireland for a number of years.

He also welcomed the number of jobs expected to be created.

Cllr Turner said he would second the proposal on advice of planning officers.