Agricultural development

Project scope

the proposed development will consist of the extension of Moyne quarry into adjoining agricultural lands located south of the existing quarry footprint. The extension and associated works will cover an area of 6.27hectares (‘ha’) and seek to extract rock from a series of benches, each 15metre (‘m’) high, to a level of 100 metres above ordnance datum (‘mOD’), consistent with the existing permitted levels at Moyne Quarry. The proposed development will involve the stripping of overburden from the agricultural lands, the construction of a 3m high berm along the western, southern and eastern sides of the agricultural lands, installation of security fencing and other safety features, planting of trees, and a continuation of existing quarry related activities which includes the production of aggregates for use in the construction product market through drilling, blasting, crushing, screening of rock. The proposed development will include the installation of three groundwater wells for water abstraction, and subsequent use in dust control. The proposed development will be subject to a restoration plan, which aligns with the existing permitted restoration plan for Moyne quarry under Planning Reference 06837, and includes a central lake, native woodland and planting of the berm, with quarry faces retained to provide suitable nesting habitat. Planning permission is being sought for 25 years for the proposed development. The application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (‘EIAR’)