Skibb decision ‘a big win’

The decision of the High Court to overturn planning permission for a thermoplastics factory in Skibbereen has been hailed “a brilliant result” by a group campaigning against its construction.

The community group Save Our Skibbereen (SOS) welcomed the court decision this week to quash the decision of An Bord Pleanála (ABP) to grant permission for the factory at Poundlick on the Baltimore Road, Skibbereen.

The 4,800 square metre facility was granted permission last year by APB, which ruled against the recommendation of its own inspector and upheld a decision by Cork County Council to grant the project planning permission.

The SOS group said the subject matter of the latest decision will now be remitted to ABP to be decided “in accordance with law”.

It is understood this could lead to the company applying to build the facility - Daly Products Ltd - being asked to prepare a Natura Impact Statement (NIS), which the campaign group said could delay the process by a year to 18 months, with no development being allowed to commence during that period.

There are a number of Natura protection sites, including Lough Hyne and Roaring Water Bay, located in the vicinity of the proposed factory site.

SOS spokesperson Brendan McCormack said: “It’s a big win, and the fact that it wasn’t contested is testament to the work our legal team have done in putting together the case. We are relieved and absolutely over the moon.

“We were very confident in our case and what was shown is how a community can come through. It shows how strong a case we had, but it will also embolden a lot of other campaigners that you can get to court and have a planning permission overturned.”

Fianna Fáil Cllr Joe Carroll said he would “accept any legal decision made in relation” to the plastics factory.

Representatives for RTP Company, the parent company of Daly Products Ltd, did not respond to a request for comment at the time of going to print.