An appeal against the building of a waste recycling and landfill facility on the Co Kildare and Co Meath border has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála.
The 82.5-hectare project at Ballynadrummy was initially rejected by Meath County Council before being resubmitted to Kildare County Council, which granted planning permission.
This led to an appeal from county councillors in Meath which was upheld by An Bord Pleanála today.
The development was deemed unsuitable in nature and was refused by An Bord Pleanála because it would have a "significant adverse effect on the conservation and protection of the River Boyne".
This would be prejudicial to public health and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. An Bord Pleanála also noted that the Boyne is a major water supply for County Meath.
In its judgment the Bord also found that the extra traffic resulting from such a development would cause congestion on the main access road, the R160, and it said the facility would impact adversely on the amenities of dwellings in the area.
Planning permission was being sought by Padraic Thornton Waste Disposal Limited. This company was also an appellant and was seeking amendments to some of planning conditions imposed by Kildare Co Council. If it had gone ahead, the development would have seen 2.8 million tonnes of non-hazardous household, commercial, industrial and demolition wastes landfilled at the site over the next 13 years.
The proposal had included the building of recycling centre, a bio-diesel recycling facility, a tyre recycling facility, several weighbridges and a biocycle waste-water treatment system.