Fresh plans for Gleneely quarry which was opposed by mica homeowners

An application for the development of a quarry in Inishowen, which previously attracted wide concerns from mica-affected homeowners, has been resubmitted.

James Carey has sought permission for the development of a slate/stone quarry with a mobile stone breaker at Baskill, Gleneely.

The application also seeks the go-ahead for a batching plant with two silos, a conveyor belt, five aggregate hoppers and a weighbridge.

The developer has applied for the change of use to an existing dwelling into an office facility with a small alternation and also the change of use of two domestic sheds to commercial storage.

Burnfoot woman introduced as new solicitor

Ms Niamh Grant was formally introduced as a practising solicitor at Letterkenny District Court

The original application, which was ruled as invalid in December, attracted 32 submissions.

Local residents raised concerns about the potential safety impact of heavy traffic on narrow roads in the area, the possible health impacts of dust from the quarry, the risk of noise pollution, the possible impact on plants and wildlife, the lack of public consultation, and the possible impact on quality of life for residents of the area.

Among the objectors to the original application was a local woman whose home is affected by mica and is worried about the impact of the proposed quarry.

The woman, who points out that the outside of her house and perimeter walls are showing cracks, said in a letter to Donegal County Council: “The effects of a steady HGV flow of traffic could collapse the wall where my young children play.

“The vibration from these lorries will certainly speed up the deterioration of my mica-infested home.”

She was one of several objectors to raise concerns about deleterious materials. There are calls on the Council to determine that the soft rock is free from any such deleterious materials such as mica, pyrite and pyrrhotite.

One objector implored the council to carry out inspections to rule out the presence of materials 'that could further extend the pandemic of defective concrete products in Donegal'.

“It is extremely concerning that the proposed quarry site sits on the same bedrock as another quarry that has been supplying concrete products containing deleterious materials,” a letter to the local authority said.

“It has been widely publicised that the stone for the concrete is being hauled from another source from washed gravel, begging the question what they are going to extract and what quality will it be.”

Another concerned resident said that the rawness of the community towards the mica scheme represented an “elephant in the room”.

They said: “It would be an insult to homeowners of the surrounding area to go ahead with this.”

“If the council does not consider that a moral quandary, then they must do their due diligence and perform rigorous tests on the rock to ascertain if there is a significant presence of deleterious materials and iron sulphates like pyrite, mica or pyrrhotite.”

One couple recently purchased a small holding, 500m away and which overlooks the proposed site.

They chose the location as “an area of extraordinary beauty” and are one of a number of objectors who blasted the lack of public consultation.

“Surely such a development would have warranted some form of pre-application consultation, at least with the council and local community and not just surreptitiously submitted to the Planning Department just prior to Christmas by an absentee landowner,” they said.

Another submission said: “An absentee landowner submitting a proposal just before Christmas with no consultation is ill mannered to say the very least and at worst just appears furtive.”

One resident said that the granting of planning permission would be “extremely short-sighted” by the local authority.

They said: “Should Donegal County Council approve this development, then all we hold invaluable to our way of life will be put at risk as well as our well-being, health and safety.”

One family, who own a farm and a cottage on lands nearby, say that the road infrastructure “is not even close to a standard which could cope with or support the use of HGVs”.

“It will become exceptionally perilous for us to leave our property either on foot or by vehicle having to face the daunting prospect of the additional heavy traffic,” another stated.

“It will put a couple of jobs created and profit for some well above the well-being and safety of local people, protected species, waterways, flora and fauna in importance.”

Other concerns raised include the proximity to sites of historical significance, such as Carrowmore Crosses, Temple of Deen and Cloncha Church.

Some objectors highlighted the potential for pollution and the danger to residents and members of the public of airborne particles from the proposed development.

One property owner, who benefits from his own well, told in a submission how he was concerned as to the possible pitfalls for his water supply while another says that the development would “result in a dramatic disfigurement of the landscape”'.

A previous application for the same development was ruled as invalid. When the proposed site was inspected on December 22, 2022, no site notice was erected, meaning the application was deemed not in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001.

Donegal County Council is due to make a decision on the application by April 23.