An Bord Pleanála clears way for expansion of family-run steel fabrication business Elite Form
An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision of Louth County Council to grant retention permission and give the green light for development at a factory near Castlebellingham.
EliteForm Manufacturing had made an application to the local authority in respect of its base at Dromena Road, Drumeenagh, Castlebellingham.
Retention permission was granted for a mezzanine floor area within industrial unit, modifications and extension to industrial unit, office building, external canopy and permission for removal, change of use of canvas building (D) to storage use only and permission for relocation, and change of use of part of the industrial unit (F) from dry storage to manufacturing use.
Permission was also received for extension of facility boundaries by approx. 3 acres, a storage building, relocation of storage building, demolition and removal of storage building, alterations to existing and provision of surface water drainage network and boundary treatments, upgrades to wastewater treatment system and ESB substation.
Two appeals against those decisions were made to An Bord Pleanála.
Paul and Caroline Cowling, Drumeenagh House, Drumeenagh, argued that that the scale of the development in open countryside was entirely inappropriate.
‘ The development proposals fail to strike the appropriate balance in relation to protecting the local environment in terms of landscape and heritage impacts, light pollution, noise, visual impact on local area and harm to Drumeenagh Cottages self-catering tourist accommodation.’
An appeal lodged by Michael McEneaney, Patricia McEneaney, Dún an Eanaigh, Dromena Road and Gerard Ward, Drumeenagh Road included concerns about noise, access and traffic safety, the size and scale of the development which would double the size of the facility, and visual amenity.
It was submitted that ‘ the location of a major distribution hub in a rural setting of 6.4 acres surrounded by 12 standalone houses contravenes the Louth County Development Plan.’
In response, the applicant noted that EliteForm has been in operation at the site since 1974 and that the appellants (Cowlings) ‘were aware of EliteForm’s presence before they purchased their property, and before they sought permission in 2004 to convert outbuildings into tourist accommodation’.
It was also noted that on TripAdvisor reviews there were ‘no comments relating to EliteForm, in terms of noise from the factory, traffic, negative impacts on environment of adjacent development etc.’
‘ The proposal seeks to regularise and improve a family-run business that provides much needed employment to 70 local people.
‘New storage building will allow business to order and store raw materials in bulk from multiple suppliers, future proofing the business by giving it the space to continue at current levels of operation.’
An inspector from An Bord Pleanála recommended that permission be granted.
The Board decided to grant conditional permission generally in accordance with the inspector’s recommendation.
‘Having regard to the nature and scale of the development proposed and that proposed to be retained, the existing established premises on and the established use of the site, the separation distance of the site from significant residential development, the improved access arrangements that would result, and the provisions of the Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027, including a policy that supports rural businesses and enterprises which are an important source of local employment in the County, and subject to compliance with conditions, it is considered that the proposed development and the development that is proposed to be retained would not endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard, would not seriously injure the residential amenity of property in the vicinity, would not give rise to water pollution or unacceptably negatively impact on the rural amenity of the area.’