ABP overturns all three Dunnstown planning refusal reasons

The three reasons for Kildare County Council's refusal to grant planning permission for a Battery Energy Storage System at Dunnstown were all overturned by the Bord Pleanala Inspector's Report, writes Brian Byrne.

As a result, and notwithstanding 171 objections to the development by residents, the campaign group Two Mile House Says NO, and representatives of the equine industry, the Board has granted permission for the development to Strategic Power Projects Limited.

KCC had refused permission on the basis that the proposed development was premature pending the outcome of a related application for a 220kV sub-station which had not yet been determined, that fire safety aspects of the proposed development had not been adequately addressed, and that there had been inadequate details for dealing with waste-water as well as lack of information in relation to noise and vibration.

Other issues detailed against the developer's appeal to ABP included claims that the BESS would negatively impact against the equine industry, that it would be contrary to policies and objectives of the Kildare County Development Plan, and concerns about accidents, disposal of spent batteries, and habitat issues relating, inter alia, to local wild life and the River Liffey.

The Inspector set aside the first KCC refusal reason on grounds that the BESS would serve with both the existing 400kV nearby substation and the proposed 220kV one for renewable energy projects in the area, and there was 'no good planning reason to delay consideration of this specific proposal'.

The Inspector also overturned the fire safety concerns of KCC on the basis that they were 'matters of technical detail better left to the certification system managed under the Building Control Act' and do not give rise to reasons for refusal of planning permission in this case.

On the third refusal reason, the Inspector concluded that as the development will not have permanent staff and will be operated remotely, there will not be waste-water issues. On noise and vibration, he noted that KCC's own Environment Section had not given any concerns in this area and that the nature of the development led him to the conclusion that 'there are no likely significant noise or vibration impacts arising from the proposed development'.

All the other issues raised were also dealt with in the full report, which can be downloaded from here. 

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