Holmestown dump won’t be reopened

PLANS TO reopen Holmestown landfill, which the council invested €26m in, have been scrapped.

Cllr George Lawlor asked council management at a recent Wexford County Council meeting what their plans are for the large landfill at Barntown and were told it wouldn’t be economically viable to reopen it.

‘How much is this still costing us? What are the possibilities of Holmestown coming back into use as a viable commercial entity?’ Cllr Lawlor said.

CEO Tom Enright said Holmestown was developed as part of a regional waste strategy which saw each county open a centre for dealing for a specific type of waste. ‘The council spent €26m developing it. We sought expressions of interest in it and we didn’t receive any.’

He said if the landfill were to reopen it would have to take in waste from neighbouring counties and even at that wouild be economically unviable.

He said alternative uses for the site are being explored. ‘Over the next month new will bring a report back to the council on what the strategy for Holmestown will be.

‘We won’t be opening it as a waste reception facility due to the cost of the aftercare from dealing with gas and leachate, along with the cost of long term licensing and strict conditions involved.’