NO PLANNING, NO PERMIT – NO WORRIES!
How Wexford County Council allowed an illegal waste business to operate for years…
JUNE 7, 2011 Wexford County Council sends a warning letter to Paddy Lennon after an inspection – prompted by local complaints – finds unauthorised activity relating to dismantling and recycling old cars.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2011 The council writes to Dermot Ivers about his intention to collect household waste. ‘If you are found to be collecting waste outside your existing permit, using vehicles not on your permit, then these vehicles will be impounded,’ writes senior executive engineer Andrew Lawless.
NOVEMBER 29, 2011 An enforcement notice is issued to Mr Lennon ordering him to ‘cease operating’ the car dismantling within six weeks or face legal action. Skips with the Maguire Skip Hire logo begin operating from the site.
MAY 8, 2013 Following renewed complaints, the council writes to a local resident: ‘As Mr Paddy Lennon has not complied with our enforcement notice this matter is now being referred to our solicitors.’
MARCH 27, 2014 A further complaint informs the council that: ‘There has been no significant change in the use of the area under Mr Lennon’s control.’
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 The council sends another warning letter to Mr Lennon.
DECEMBER 1, 2014 The council informs residents that the original case – relating to car dismantling – has been dropped and it is now focusing on the use of the site for waste collection. ‘Enforcement proceedings are progressing,’ the letter reads.
MARCH 11, 2015 A complaint is sent to council saying ‘nothing of any significance’ has occurred despite years of attempted council action.
MAY 13, 2015 Council inspectors carry out a fresh inspection, concluding the site is ‘an unauthorised waste disposal facility’.
JULY 1-14, 2015 Council places covert CCTV cameras at the site and records ‘trucks labelled Maguire Skip Hire and loaded with waste entering the unauthorised site’.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 A new enforcement notice is issued to Maguire Skip Hire, Dermot Ivers and Paddy Lennon, ordering that all activity cease within six weeks.
OCTOBER 29, 2015 A follow-up inspection finds no change in activities. It concludes: ‘Maguire Skip Hire does not have a waste collection permit’ and that Mr Ivers – seen driving an untaxed vehicle – is in breach of his waste collection permit.’
MAY 2016 Mr Ivers’s permit, which was being used illegally for Maguire Skip Hire, is revoked after he fails to respond to correspondence.
JUNE 6, 2016 Eight months after last council inspection the MoS visits the site and obtains evidence of continued illegal waste activity.
JULY 22, 2016 A new permit application from Maguire Skip Hire is submitted.
JULY 29, 2016 The MoS confronts Mr Lennon about his illegal waste facility.
AUGUST 4, 2016 The MoS asks the council in writing why the site continues to operate.
AUGUST 9, 2016 The council tells the MoS ‘legal proceedings are in preparation.’ Another inspection is carried out at the end of August.
AUGUST 17, 2016 A notice of intention to apply for planning permission for ‘change of use of existing agricultural yard to Waste Collection and Recycling Facility’ is displayed at the entrance to Mr Lennon’s farm.
THIS WEEK Five years after the first enforcement notice the site is operating as usual.