Green light for revised Mayo gas terminal plan

30 April 2004
Mayo County Council has granted planning permission for a controversial refining terminal in the north of the county.

An earlier grant of permission was overturned by An Bord Pleanála following strong local objections.

But this morning the council gave its approval to a revised plan submitted by Shell E & P Ireland.

Shell wants to develop the as yet untapped Corrib gas field, which was discovered 80km off the Mayo coast in 1996. The field is Ireland's second largest gas field, and is about two-thirds the size of the Kinsale Field.

Objections to the initial August 2001 planning permission were upheld in April 2003 as An Bord Pleanála said it had major reservations about the storage of 400,000 tons of excavated peat on the site.

Last December, Shell submitted a new application based on a plan to move the peat from the site and spread it on a disused bog 11 kilometres away.

Once more there were objections but the council has granted permission subject to 75 conditions. These relate to health, safety and the protection of heritage and the environment.

However, objectors may appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála for a second time.

From: http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0430/corrib.html