Farmers lead successful objections to crematorium over emission concerns

LOCAL farmers were among the objectors to a proposed new crematorium which has been refused planning permission in Cork.

The proposed crematorium, on the site of the former Duhallow Park Hotel, 3km outside Kanturk, was refused planning over environmental and transport concerns.

Almost 50 submissions were received by the council, with most parties objecting on grounds of the unsuitability of the site and concerns about health and safety from emissions on residents and farm animals.

An Bord Pleanála rejected the appeal by Classic Lodges against the decision of Cork County Council not to approve the construction.

The company had wanted to build a “spiritual space” to accommodate up to 50 people with parking for 53 vehicles on a 2.7-hectare site on the side of the N72 Mallow-Killarney road.

One local farmer, Darren Lehane, said he already faced challenges moving cattle and accessing lands with farm machinery due to existing traffic levels on the N72 before the consideration of large funeral corteges.

Mr Lehane, whose family have farmed in the area for over a century, said the cost of constructing an underpass had proven prohibitive.

“We have no option but to put cattle across this busy road,” he said, adding that the crematorium would have made his livelihood “impossible, dangerous and unworkable.”

He said emissions from the facility could also pose a threat to his participation in the Bord Bia/Origin Green Sustainability Programme.

Farming couple James and Joan Stack expressed concern that prevailing winds would carry dioxins which would “undoubtedly have an effect on grass and tillage crops”.

Another objector said the site was unsuitable for a crematorium as mourners would smell odours from a nearby piggery.

Contaminants

An inspector with An Bord Pleanála acknowledged that there was a risk that surface water run-off during both the construction and operational phase could convey contaminants, pollutants or silt in into protected area of the Blackwater valley.

He said there was a risk of pollution of groundwater which posed a threat to the water quality in the River Blackwater and could impact on salmon, lamprey and pearl mussel stocks.

Classic Lodges had claimed the cremation process would be completely free of dust and odour as it involved dry air of temperatures up to 1,000°C without flames touching the body.

It said any impact on wildlife from emissions would be “imperceptible”.

The company said the development would have created three permanent jobs.

However, an Bord Pleanála was not satisfied that the proposed development would not adversely affect the EU-protected Blackwater River Special Area of Conservation because of the lack of information about the treatment of surface water from roadworks needed to insert a right-hand turning lane.

The board also said the development would have affected traffic movement on the N72 due to funeral corteges.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland claimed the planned crematorium would pose a road safety hazard as it was located on a stretch of the N72 where the maximum speed limit applied.