The Client sought to regularise the planning status of the existing 15.5 hectare quarry in accordance with the provisions of Section 261A of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, including a Substitute Consent Application to An Bord Pleanála with a remedial Natura Impact Statement. In addition, permission was sought from An Bord Pleanála under the provisions of Section 37L of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 for deepening of the quarry (by one bench from 0 m OD to -20 m OD over an area of c. 7.6 hectares) and all ancillary development including a new infiltration pond system to manage groundwater and road improvement works within an overall application area of c. 20 hectares.

Tom Phillips + Associates (TPA) provided strategic planning advice to Lagan with regard to the evolving legislative framework and Lagan’s aspirations for the site, having regard to the site’s history and locational context including potential impacts on the adjoining Great Island Channel SAC and Cork Harbour SPA as well as other cumulative impacts. TPA served as the agent providing strategic planning advice for each planning application and the preparation and coordination of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS), as appropriate. We also lodged several other applications to Cork County Council which included permission for Extension of Duration of permitted sand, gravel and limestone quarry and associated asphalt plant to secure employment on the site while the Section 261A and 37L Applications to An Bord Pleanála were ongoing. Permission was also sought for an Extension of Operating Hours of the asphalt plant to allow for earlier start times and for occasional out-of-hours operations.

An Bord Pleanála granted Substitute Consent for the existing quarry in March 2017, thus regularising all development carried out at the site to date. An Bord Pleanála also granted full permission for continuation and deepening of the quarry to -20 m OD and all associated works in March 2017. This decision provides an estimated resource of some 3 million tonnes of rock. Cork County Council Granted an Extension of Duration Permission for the quarry and asphalt plant in March 2014, which permits the continuation of operations at the site until 28th April 2019. In addition, the Council granted planning permission for the Extension of Operating Hours for the asphalt plant in March 2015, a decision that was confirmed by An Bord Pleanála by way of a Final Grant in July 2015.