Cork Northwest Workers’ Party representative Catherine Coffey has welcomed the decision of Bórd Pleanála to refuse planning permission for a new waste facility at Churchfield.

Ms. Coffey said that the rejection of planning at the site was a clear recognition that the site was not suitable for a waste facility and she felt that if the site was unsuitable for a waste facility it was also unsuitable for the existing recycling centre at the adjacent site which had been the source of very many complaints over the years.

Catherine Coffey said: “The Workers’ Party greatly welcomes this decision.  It is a source of relief to hundreds of householders in the Churchfield area who are already living with noxious smells and other nuisances from the existing plant at John F. Connelly Road.  I believe that there is an even stronger case arising from this decision for the closure of the existing recycling plant which should never have been allowed so close to a residential area”.   

“While this decision is very welcome, this unfortunately is not the end of the matter as long as the Country Clean recycling centre remains open. There must now be a redoubling of efforts to pressurise the City Council, EPA and other bodies to put an end to the misery of local residents