'Nothing to fear', Manager says of dirty industry plans

Residents of Mullingar's western reaches have nothing to fear about plans to set aside land for so-called "bad neighbour industry" on lands south west of the Forest Park Industrial Estate.The County Manager, Danny McLoughlin is expected to make the reassurance to members of the public, when his report on submissions regarding a proposed variation to the County Development Plan comes before members of Westmeath County Council on Monday next.The Council recently set in motion plans to identify and reserve a site in Mullingar for what is described as "non-light industry" with "bad neighbour" uses, in order to segregate such industry from the retail and commercial character of Mullingar's main industrial estates.But the move led to an angry reactions in rural Mullingar West, who claimed that the proposed variation fails to define what exactly is meant by "non-light industry".Residents expressed concerns that the variation would give carte blanche to heavy or "dirty industry" to set up on the site, and that the potential for odours, noise and visual obtrusivenes would have a devastating impact on the local landscape.The variation was subject to eleven third party submissions, one of which included twenty signatures from residents in the Kilpatrick area of Mullingar West, highlighting their concerns. But on a report on the submissions - a copy of which has been obtained by the Westmeath Examiner ahead of Monday's Council meeting - the County Manager, Danny McLoughlin has moved to reassure residents of the nature of the industry allowed on site."The type of uses considered appropriate for this site do not fall within the category of those requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment such as a chemical processing plant, intensive agriculture, waste incinerator, industries that would store hazardous substances, or industries that would be affected by the Serveso II Directive and require an integrated pollution licence," Mr. McLoughlin said in his report.He recommended that the variation document be amended to state that the only uses suitable for the lands would be for car dismantling and recovery, scaffolding and dismantling yards, construction and demolition waste, authorised treatment facilities, manufacturing businesses, engineering activity, skip hire yards and recycling enterprises.He also recommended that a "landscape buffer" be established on the northern and western boundaries of the lands. The Manager denied claims that the chosen site - 21.5 acres at the south-west end of Forest Park, not far from the main Mullingar-Athlone Road - did not go through a proper site selection process.He said that the site was chosen because of its links to a good rail and road network, its proximity to an established employment base, and its location within a Midlands gateway town."The site was assessed for its suitability on environmental, amenity and sustainable grounds," Mr. McLoughlin added.The Manager's recommendations will come before local councillors on Monday, and it is expected that they will have until six weeks to mull over the amendments, with a final vote due in May.