Residents object to proposed Letterkenny poultry farm

A group of concerned homeowners have appealed to An Bord Pleanála over the proposed development of a poultry farm on the outskirts of Letterkenny.

Last month, Donegal County Council granted planning permission for the development at Rann, Letterkenny.

The permission - for the erection of two poultry sheds with meal silos, effluent tanks and associated site works including the upgrading of an existing access road - was conditional and subjected to 23 conditions.

Rodney Black lodged the application in May, but the decision of the local authority has now been taken to the planning authority.

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In an objection to Donegal County Council, one couple said a similar application was previously refused in 2021 and another withdrawn earlier this year. Quoting the refusal from two years ago, they said that there was no evidence ‘made for the sufficient provision for the sustainable management, collection and disposal of waste’.

“The main concerns that we have are that the applicants has not made any provision for the collection and disposal of waste and for this reason would have an unacceptable impact on us the local residents due to the odour emission from the proposed poultry farm,” they wrote.

Highlighting concerns over odour, they referred to a slurry spread on lands near the proposed poultry farm in March, 2022. They said this was ‘within three feet of our homes that had such high odour emissions that we were unable to open our windows for a week’.

They said that the proposed development was ‘not an acceptable distance’ form their dwelling and said they were ‘very concerned’ over possible pollution and that a narrow road ‘is not capable to deal with lorries leading in and out’.

They said the proposed site is prone to flooding and added: “This is a well known fact in the area and is known as ‘Ward’s swamp’.”

Another objector said the proposed development would ‘have a huge impact on the daily lives of every householder in this area’. He said the development would ‘seriously impact all of the surrounding homes through excess traffic on a country road, waste, smell and pollution’ and raised concerns over the development of a slurry pit and the impact on a historical site on the land, a ring fort.

A lengthy submission, signed by 21 homeowners and occupiers, detailed the concerns of locals.

“If this development is permitted it will cause irreparable damage to this important protected historical and archaeological site,” the document claims, noting four possible pollution issues, in the areas of air, water, noise and traffic.

An Bord Pleanála say the case is due to be decided by February 14, 2024.