Plans for Lusk landfill dropped

Plans for one of Europe’s largest landfills near Lusk in north Co Dublin have been scrapped by Fingal County Council.

The council, which has spent almost €33m and 14 years progressing the project for a 210-hectares regional waste facility, said the viability of the landfill had been undermined by falling prices, competition from the private sector and uncertainty in national and regional waste policy.

The announcement from the council was made this afternoon after landowners and local politicians were informed. Fingal County Council has so far spend some €25 million on land – most of in deals concluded between 2004 and 2008 and commitments to a further €45m including development costs were due to be issued by today.

After a 14 year planning, legal and licensing battle with local opposition ended last month the council had until today to issue its "notice to treat" to landowners. The council said it “genuinely regretted the uncertainty” faced by landowners over such a long period of time.

However a spokeswoman said that as the Dublin local authorities would be no longer managing the majority of the region’s waste from next year, the landfil was no longer required.

The spokeswoman said the council had been required to develop a plan to manage the region's waste, under the Waste Management Act.

But she said uncertainty with national and regional policy on waste, the development of additional private landfill and incinerator space as well as the withdrawal of local authrorities from the collection business had fundamentally changed the position.

The council had been open and frank throughout the process. she said.