Inside Ravensdale quarry
Local residents are expected to lodge a planning appeal after permission was granted recently for the reopening of the stone quarry at Ballymakellett in Ravensdale, which has been idle for around half a century.
Louth County Council yesterday gave Burncorp Group Limited conditional planning permission to reopen the quarry for the production of road making and aggregate materials. Under the terms of the application, the quarry would reopen for a period of five years.
As part of the application, Burncorp – who are based in Stapleton Place in Dundalk – have also been given permission to set up a temporary office, welfare facilities, weighbridge and wheel wash.
They had initially applied for planning permission for the development in August 2014 with multiple objections from local residents being lodged in the last year.
They expressed concerns over air and land pollution from quarry dust and the possible health hazard this would create for residents. They also outlined their concerns in relation to traffic and the damage that could be caused to residences by the movement of rocks in 20 to 40 tonne trucks.
They further feel that the value of their houses would fall due to its proximity to an in-use quarry and expressed concerns over pollution to the local water supply and its impact on local wildlife.
As well as objections from the residents, Inland Fisheries Ireland also objected vehemently to the move.
Residents previously objected to the reopening of the quarry in 2006 and they claim their case is now “more compelling”, given the scenic aspect of the area and its increase in popularity in recent years. They pointed out that the quarry is in full view of the “much used” Táin trail.
Nine years ago the council granted planning permission to Eco Quarrie to open the quarry with residents appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanála, a process the residents are now like to take once more. They will be hoping for better luck though as it was allowed to open for 16 months after approval was granted from the planning authority. Residents who took a case at the time included Rosaleen Mullan, Kenneth Rice, Gerry Scannell, Jerry Jackson, Maura and Walter Rainey and Gerry Malone.
A previous application was also given the go ahead to reopen the quarry in 1992 but once again An Bord Pleanála overturned the council’s decision.
As well as Ballymakellett, areas which would be affected by the move include Dawestown, Jenkinstown, Rockmarshall and along the main Carlingford to Dundalk Road.
Residents are due to meet in the Ravensdale Community Centre tonight at 8pm to discuss the matter.
Talk of the Town 