Concerns raised over Drum bioplant

Some members of the Drum community have expressed concern about plans to construct an anaerobic digester (AD) plant at what is known as a local landmark, the ‘Black Kesh cross’.

Stream BioEnergy Ireland Ltd has applied to Monaghan County Council for a 10-year permission for a renewable gas bioplant on a site located immediately west of the R189 road, and off the L2280 road. The proposed development site, a total of 8.8 hectares, is situated in the townlands of Maghernakelly and Drumcall in Monaghan, and the plans include associated road improvements. Some 2.6 hectares of the land will be used as a soil relocation area, with plans to remove an estimated 18,600 cubic metres of “excess fill material”.

If approved, the plant would generate renewable biogas from 99,000 tonnes of poultry manure per annum, along with other biodegradable and agri-food organic materials. The end product, biomethane, would be funnelled into the national gas grid via a gas pipeline route (approx 3.5kms), which would be delivered separately by Gas Networks Ireland.

The plans have been met with concern by some locals, who set up the Black Kesh Biogas Plant Concern Group on December 12.

“Great idea, but that’s not the location for it,” Patrick Clerkin, who is a member of the group and an architectural technician by profession, surmised after an information evening held for locals on December 9. The Celt understands the meeting was attended by both representatives of Stream BioEnergy and the land owner.

He said that, what he claimed was “the concept of putting a massive industrial plant at a crossroads in a rural area by means of demolishing a drumlin hill” was “incomprehensible” to him.

Patrick lives around 1km away from the proposed site, and his “immediate concern” is the “visual impact” of the development if permitted.

He believes the project, as proposed, is in “contravention of the objectives that are set out in Monaghan County Development plan and the recommendations of the Irish BioEnergy Association”.

The latter, he said, “recommend brownfield sites” for such plants.

Patrick also fears there will be “constant noise” due to the generators used to operate the plant.

“The third thing is, if this goes ahead, it sets a precedent for these things [biogas facilities] to be put wherever somebody decides,” he maintains.

Asked what the ideal solution would be for him, Patrick responds: “Look for a better, more appropriate site.”

There are strained voices, filled with concern in the home where the Celt meets the group of locals.

‘Gutted’

Of all the neighbours gathered, Ken Crowe is the closest to the proposed plant. His home is situated 500 metres away.

He felt “gutted” when news came to him of the proposal. His main concern is the “possible odour” from the plant, which drew nods from every person in the room.

“Not being able to sit outside in the summer or open the windows,” he shares; while Ken also worries about “constant noise” from the machinery going to the plant.

“There is going to be muck on the road, there is going to be smells even from the transport,” he predicts.

Nicola Clerkin, who is a resident of the area for all her life (36 years), said she fears “the aesthetic of a rural setting being turned into a concrete jungle”.

Brónagh Connolly is a parent who lives roughly 800 metres from the proposed plant. She worries “our lives will never be the same again” due to the “huge amount of traffic” the plant may bring to the area if approved.

“We walk on the back road with our kids and that brings us down to the [proposed] factory.

“It’s going to be dangerous to be out with kids,” she suggested.

Meanwhile, Brónagh also listed concerns regarding “any leaks that may happen”.

Her sister Gráinne O’Connor, who lives within one kilometre of the site with her family, shares the concerns of the others, but also fears that the area might “lose its identity”.

“The area would be no longer known as the Black Kesh, it will be known as the bio plant.”

She doesn’t believe that the local roads are suitable to take the large quantity of lorries transporting product to the site.

While locals have been told there will be a set route for those going to the plant, Gráinne asks what governance will there be over that.

“We feel like we have to [object], and it’s the last thing that we want to do,” Brónagh added.

Fears for the local heritage and biodiversity were also raised, as was the Drum Vision Plan created to enhance the area. If approved, Nicola believes the plant will look “alien” to passersby.

“That’s the main way to go to Drum.”

‘Bombshell’

Meanwhile, an elderly couple who live close to the plant, and would be looking out at it through their window were it to go ahead, said the idea is “a great thing” however believe “it’s in the wrong place”.

“It’s madness,” Geoffrey Paley believes.

“They’re going to completely destroy that drumlin,” he claims.

Geoffrey (78) and his wife Tess (76) have been living in their countryside ‘Rainbow Cottage’ for the past 25 years. The place they call home hadn’t been lived in for 40 years before they took it on as a passion project and renovated it to their liking. The pair are sitting in the sunroom when the Celt drops by to meet them. Their view, now comprising green hills, would contain the biogas plant if the plans are approved.

“We’re here for the rest of our lives, you know the little bit of it that we have got left, and it’s just come as a bombshell really,” Geoffrey opines.

They have already decided that their home will be passed on to charity when they are no longer living there.

“It’s all going to charity, so we want it to be worth something.”

They are grateful for the efforts of their neighbours; “half our age” who have “got some fight in them”.

“You can only hope,” he said, adding: “It is annoying.”

“You just had that at the back of your mind all over Christmas.”

Proven process

Meanwhile, the owner of the land for the proposed plant Richard Carleton maintains “anaerobic digestion is a proven way of transforming waste product into renewable energy”.

He and his young family will also be the resident living closest to the plant and says he understands his neighbours concerns but believes the proposed development is a good fit for the site.

“Waste is a real issue in the area, within County Monaghan and County Cavan,” he told the Celt.

“There is a lot of poultry industry in the area,” he said, adding that the plant would be a “real solution” to the “250,000 tonnes of chicken litter produced annually in counties Monaghan and Cavan”.

“You’re producing renewable energy and also producing a byproduct of fertiliser for the agricultural community also,” he said.

Mr Carleton said he is “absolutely” aware of the concerns held by locals.

“Change naturally brings concerns,” he said.

Open consultation

“The ways we’ve looked to mitigate those concerns is we’ve had two different organised bus trips up to the plant in Ballymena, to see an existing plant in operation, so that they can understand what exactly is going on.”

“There has also been an open consultation to meet the BioStream team again to ask the questions and raise their concerns.”

In relation to worries on a possible odour, he said: “The whole process is contained and works under negative pressure so therefore the odour is completely contained and put out through a sophisticated filtration system.”

“The odour is dealt with completely,” he said, furthering there would be “no” odour.

Mr Carleton lives the closest to the plant, and said he “wouldn’t consider bringing something to the area unless I was willing to live beside it.”

“I wouldn’t consider having this on my door step unless I was completely confident of how the system works,” he added.

“I have been living in the community for years; we are part of this community.”

“I wouldn’t have even entertained putting it on my doorstep if I had reservations.”

Integration

He also said “every effort” would be made to “integrate” the plant into its “local surroundings” to make the visual impact “as minimal as possible”.

“To the people who have concerns... I want portray the fact the BioStream are very open to answering concerns.

“There’s nothing hidden here, let’s make sure people are fully aware of what’s happening,” he said.

A decision on the planning application is due from Monaghan County Council on or before February 12 provided no further information is required.

The site assessment report, submitted with the planning application, sets out that “several abatement systems are incorporated into the plant design to mitigate the potential for adverse impacts on the environment and human health”.

These include indoor delivery and handling of feedstock and its processing in an “enclosed and sealed system”, “a multi-stage odour treatment process” and “acoustic containment of engines and other noise generating equipment” and “an engineered site drainage containment system”, the property owner said.