An Bord Pleanála has upheld an appeal to overturn Meath County Council's granting of planning permission to allow one of the country's biggest meat processing companies to discharge commercial waste water into the River Boyne.
In 2021, Dawn Meats applied for planning permission for an extension to its waste water treatment plant, which included the construction of a 7.2km pipeline to discharge treated wastewater from its beef abattoir plant at Beauparc into the River Boyne at Cotton Mills.
At the time, the company said the multi-million euro investment at its site in Beauparc would lead to the construction of a "state of the art" water treatment plant, which would produce compliant waste water.
Dawn Meats also said the development would have a positive impact on the wider area through the removal of tanker traffic from local roads.
However, the plans drew huge opposition locally. Residents, businesses and angling groups raised a number of health and environmental concerns.
More than 70,000 homes in east Meath and Louth get their drinking water supply from the River Boyne.
Meath County Council received over 400 submissions opposing the planning application but granted permission for the construction of the pipeline in 2022.
However, the plan required the green light from An Bord Pleanála before construction could begin and yesterday, the planning appeals body confirmed that approval would not be forthcoming.
The Save the Boyne group, which campaigned against the plans, has welcomed the decision.
In a statement, the group said: "The Boyne has significant meaning to all its people who share its shores and waterways from the canoeist, the angler, the photographer and those who stroll its environs. It has a shared history and meaning to each person and all collectively.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all for taking a stand on such an important issue. It gives great hope going forward that when people stand together they can prevail," it added.
"Also the biggest winner in all of this is the Boyne itself, while we take this win we also understand that the River Boyne along with many other waterways in Ireland are under huge stress due to poor planning, poor water treatment plants and general pollutants into our rivers and streams," it said.
Meanwhile, Dawn Meats has also commented on the decision and said it will now consider the options that remain available to the company.
In a statement, a spokesperson said "Dawn Meats is aware that a decision has been made by An Bord Pleanála in relation to the May 2022 appeal against the planning approval for a treated wastewater pipeline in Slane, Co Meath.
"The company will review the decision and will consider its options in due course," the statement concluded.
An Bord Pleanála’s full decision on the planning application is expected to be published on its website next Wednesday.
