An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision by Donegal County Council to reject plans for a venison processing plant near Glenties which would have processed up to 500 deer carcasses a year during the autumn and winter shooting season.
One of the main reasons for refusal is that the proposed development would pose an unacceptable risk of pollution to the Owenea River, a designated Natural Heritage Area, and would result in "an unusually strident feature on the landscape".
Mr Thomas Becht, of Doorian, Glenties appealed a decision of the local authority to refuse permission for the development. Mr Becht claimed that his selected site was central to the deer population in Donegal and his project would generate employment for up to four people.
Observers to the appeal, which included An Taisce and the Northern Regional Fisheries Board, submitted to An Bord Pleanála that there was no information that Glenties was central to the deer population of Donegal. There was nothing on the file to indicate that Glenveagh National Park had a problem or requested the applicant to take deer carcasses.
Mr Ruairí Somers, a senior planning inspector, ruled that the proposed development would contravene the County Development Plan.