A Co Mayo sludge processing plant said today it plans a massive expansion to its workforce if a planning application is approved by Mayo County Council.
Glancre Teoranta, near Geesala, has submitted an application for a change of activities at the site, moving from conversion of peat biomass into fuels, to processing "non-hazardous sludge" into fertilizer and industrial fuel.
The county manager is due to decide on the application within the next two weeks. If it is granted, an additional 45 staff will be sought by Glancre Teoranta.
However, the council is also due to go to the High Court seeking an application barring the company from carrying out sludge processing until the planning application is resolved.
The county secretary, Mr John Condon said "we believe the company should not be doing what they are doing at that site".
The issue arose when the company informed the council three years ago that they would be changing its operations at the site. The council granted a waste permit and the company initiated the change over to reprocessing sludge. This was subsequently challenged in the High Court by An Bord Pleanala, which argued that planning permission was required before the factory could change its use.
The court upheld An Bord Pleanala's case and ruled earlier this year the change in operations at Glancre Teoranta constituted an unauthorised development. The council is now seeking an order from the court to force the company to discontinue these operations.
Local residents have objected to the ongoing operations at the plant. They claim powerful odours are emitted during the process.
A recent blockade at the factory by protestors has led to the plant taking out an injunction against 31 named people. This restrains them from "causing a nuisance" or blocking vehicles from entering or leaving the factory.
A company spokesman said residents were being invited to consultation days on August 31st and September 1st, to explain the processes at the factory.
He said the plant will be involved in the conversion of "peat biomass and non-hazardous sludge biomass into dry fuel and fertilizer pellets".
The company plans to access sludge from the Connaught region, including from local authority water treatment plants.
