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It’s emerged that six objections against the development of the Applegreen Service Station were lodged with An Bord Pleanala.

The decision by Cork County Council to grant planning permission to Applegreen Service Areas Limited for a major motorway service station at Junction 13 of the M8 at Gortnahown, Mitchelstown has been appealed.

It’s emerged that six objections against the development were lodged with An Bord Pleanala before the time available for appeals closed last week. Four of the six submissions were made by existing service station owners in the area.

JR Oronco, the Fermoy-based promoters of another proposed major motorway service station at Junction 14 of the N8 at Moorepark, Fermoy, have also lodged an objection. The final objection to Applegreen’s plan is from an individual.

The Avondhu has learned that the objections include a concern about the protection of the bore wells that supply water to some 3,000 people living in the Mitchelstown area. In granting planning permission for the development, Cork County Council stipulated as a condition, that the applicant submit a report on procedures that would enable them to respond to the environmental risk which would be presented by a release of potentially contaminated material to groundwater from activities and operations on the site. They were required to include a risk assessment and detail all potential mitigation measures required. JR Oronco, in their submission, cite this as 'a major factor'.

Among the other objections are that the site of the proposed development is a greenbelt area and at variance with the Local Area Plan, that it cannot be connected to Mitchelstown’s waste water treatment system as it is at full capacity. It is also argued that the development would adversely affect businesses in Mitchelstown where, it is pointed out in one of the submissions, 26 businesses have closed down in the town’s main trading area due to the current difficult economic climate.

One of the appellants is seeking an oral hearing into the matter from the planning appeals board.

The case is due to be decided by February 25 next year. Meanwhile, the appeal against the granting of planning permission by Cork County Council to JR Oronco’s development at Junction 14, is listed for decision by An Bord Pleanala by January 31 next year. Applegreen is among the objectors to that development, as is Amber Service Station, Fermoy.

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