An Taisce appeal against Temple House dairy farm turned down

AN BORD PLEANALA has turned down an appeal by An Taisce against the operation of a dairy farm on the Temple House estate.

The environmental organisation appealed against a decision made by Sligo County Council on September 17 last to grant planning permission to Sligo Pastures Ltd, c/o of James O’Hara of Dooncastle, Ballymote, for the construction of a 14-bay slatted cubicle shed, a 1,071 square metres roofed collecting yard with slatted slurry tank and rotary milking parlour, a silage slab and an overground slurry storage tank with a capacity of 2,709 cubic metres at Templehouse Demense, Templehouse, Ballymote.

The planning board inspector Colm McLoughlin noted that the shed would accommodate 250 cows and would facilitate the commencemnt of dairy farming farming operations using approximately 122 hectares of grazing pastures in the immediate estate grounds, as well as associated spread lands, cow paths and paddock fencing.

In the course of a detailed submission, An Tasice said that the implications of intensified bovine agriculture practices on the estate needed to be fully considered “given the potential for biodiversity loss, the impact of monoculture fertilised grassland, nitrates runoff, the ecological impact of ammonia emissions and the impact on the historic landscape”.

They also expressed concern about the direct impacts of intensified grazing and silage production areas draining into Templehouse and Cloonacleigha Loughs special areas of conservation.

An Tasice said it acknowledged and supported the Temple House owners rationale for the development in terms of maintaining the property but said that “justification regarding how leasing the land for intensive dairying would provide income to restore buildings” was absent from the application.

On a wider level, An Taisce contended that the “current and continuing level of bovine agriculure in Ireland sustained by nitrate-fertilised grass is incompatible with the objectives of the EU bisodiversity strategy for 2030 – Bringing Nature Back into Our Lives” and that the “climatic implications of increased bovine agriculture needs to be addressed”.

However, turning down the appeal and confirming the granting of planning permission, An Bord Pleanala noted that the development would not be likely to have a significant effect on any of the special areas of conservation in the area, “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area of property in the vicinity”, would “not detract from the character and setting of protected structures” and would not be prejudicial to public health.

Temple House.