AN BORD Pleanála has granted permission for the construction of a 26km underground pipeline to link the country’s first liquefied natural gas terminal at the Shannon estuary in Co Kerry to the existing natural gas network in Co Limerick.
The proposal for the €500 million regassification terminal on Shannon Development land near Tarbert has already received permission.
The applications for the terminal and the pipeline by Shannon LNG, a subsidiary of the giant US Hess corporation, were dealt with separately.
Both were fast-tracked to an Bord Pleanála under the Strategic Infrastructure Act, and an oral hearing was held in each case.
The appeals board said it had regard for the National Development Plan regarding security of energy supply and the Kerry County Development Plan in granting permission for the pipeline which will connect with the natural gas grid at Leahy’s near Foynes, Co Limerick.
The board has directed that a section of the pipe be rerouted so as not to interfere with an area of fen west of the N69 at Doonard Upper.
It has also directed that geotechnical surveys be carried out in areas of peat to be crossed by the pipe, and that “no peat be removed off site”.
The board says this is for health and safety reasons and to prevent water pollution. (The issue of soil disturbance on areas of peatland was raised during the hearing).
Some 17 conditions have been imposed by the board, including that surveys on breeding sites of badgers, otters and bats be carried out before work begins.
Archaeological monitoring of all excavations will be carried out.
The pipe will cross 20 roads, three rivers, 11 streams, farmland and forestry, and involve 72 landowners, the hearing in Listowel was told in December.
The terminal will take four years, and the pipeline will begin in the fourth year.
The route is along the southern side of the estuary to avoid interference with the ecologically-important Shannon estuary, a special protected area, said representatives of Shannon LNG. It was also the cheapest of the three routes considered.
The hearing was told wayleaves had been agreed with most landowners, and acquisitions were being sought in the case of five to six properties.
However, the main objectors’ group , Safety Before LNG, said it was challenging the decision under Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 .
It has asked the board to rule whether work associated with the terminal was or was not development.
Spokesman John McElligott said their challenge was supported by actor Pierce Brosnan, MEP Kathy Sinnott , Friends of the Irish Environment and others.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label pipeline planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pipeline planning. Show all posts
Friday, 20 February 2009
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Damages case over gas pipeline delay is settled
A LEGAL action by An Bord Gáis’s Northern Ireland subsidiary aimed at compelling Lord Ballyedmond, formerly senator Edward Haughey, to pay some £613,000 (€756,000) in damages over alleged delays in construction over his lands of the North-South natural gas pipeline, has been settled.
BGE/UK had sought the damages after the Commercial Court in 2006 dismissed Lord Ballyedmond’s challenge to the proposed pipeline route over some of his lands at Dungooley, Co Louth.
Lord Ballyedmond proposed an alternative route over his lands but an inspector appointed by the Commission for Energy Regulation said the alternative route would prove more costly, while the route selected was the most economical. The hearing to assess the amount of damages began on Tuesday before Mr Justice Peter Kelly in the Commercial Court, and was due to resume yesterday when the judge was told it had been settled. He said the settlement was “not before time”.
Lawyers for Lord Ballyedmond have disputed the claims of delays, and had argued that he had no liability under an undertaking for damages given by him when bringing his legal proceedings for the sums claimed.
On Tuesday, ruling on preliminary arguments in the case, Mr Justice Kelly rejected Lord Ballyedmond’s argument that the damages undertaking did not apply. The judge then proceeded to hear arguments as to the amount of damages incurred.
In his main action, Lord Ballyedmond challenged orders made in 2005 for the compulsory acquisition of some of his lands for the purpose of constructing a 900- metre section of pipeline. The section is part of the 156km of pipeline being built by An Bord Gáis between Gormanston, Co Meath, and Ballyclare, Co Antrim.
Lord Ballyedmond argued that procedures used to select the pipeline route were unfair.
In 2006, Mr Justice Frank Clarke rejected the challenge on all grounds, including claims that the issue of the costs of various proposed pipeline routes were not adequately notified to Lord Ballyedmond in a manner which would allow him a reasonable opportunity to deal with such issues.
In this week’s damages hearing, BGE/UK claimed that, because it had given an undertaking pending the outcome of the court case not to enter Lord Ballyedmond’s property to carry out works, it was entitled to damages for the costs of having workers, plant and equipment on standby. It claimed entitlement to £612,698 in damages and said this included some £182,000 for costs of a “lock-out period” when it was not permitted on to the lands and £330,000 for having equipment on standby.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
BGE/UK had sought the damages after the Commercial Court in 2006 dismissed Lord Ballyedmond’s challenge to the proposed pipeline route over some of his lands at Dungooley, Co Louth.
Lord Ballyedmond proposed an alternative route over his lands but an inspector appointed by the Commission for Energy Regulation said the alternative route would prove more costly, while the route selected was the most economical. The hearing to assess the amount of damages began on Tuesday before Mr Justice Peter Kelly in the Commercial Court, and was due to resume yesterday when the judge was told it had been settled. He said the settlement was “not before time”.
Lawyers for Lord Ballyedmond have disputed the claims of delays, and had argued that he had no liability under an undertaking for damages given by him when bringing his legal proceedings for the sums claimed.
On Tuesday, ruling on preliminary arguments in the case, Mr Justice Kelly rejected Lord Ballyedmond’s argument that the damages undertaking did not apply. The judge then proceeded to hear arguments as to the amount of damages incurred.
In his main action, Lord Ballyedmond challenged orders made in 2005 for the compulsory acquisition of some of his lands for the purpose of constructing a 900- metre section of pipeline. The section is part of the 156km of pipeline being built by An Bord Gáis between Gormanston, Co Meath, and Ballyclare, Co Antrim.
Lord Ballyedmond argued that procedures used to select the pipeline route were unfair.
In 2006, Mr Justice Frank Clarke rejected the challenge on all grounds, including claims that the issue of the costs of various proposed pipeline routes were not adequately notified to Lord Ballyedmond in a manner which would allow him a reasonable opportunity to deal with such issues.
In this week’s damages hearing, BGE/UK claimed that, because it had given an undertaking pending the outcome of the court case not to enter Lord Ballyedmond’s property to carry out works, it was entitled to damages for the costs of having workers, plant and equipment on standby. It claimed entitlement to £612,698 in damages and said this included some £182,000 for costs of a “lock-out period” when it was not permitted on to the lands and £330,000 for having equipment on standby.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
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