Residents are fired up after Limerick power station plan is lodged a second time

PLANS for a new gas-fired power plant in Limerick are back on the table with the developer seeking permission to build from council once more.

Kilshane Energy is seeking planning permission from the local authority for the €150m project having identified land at an old quarry site in Luddenmore, near Ballyneety.

The gas-fired power plant would be capable of generating power for up to 300,000 homes, but would primarily be used to tackle energy shortages which may occur during extreme weather events.

There was huge opposition from locals when the company initially sought permission earlier this year, with 800 people signing a petition in opposition.

Kilshane subsequently withdrew the application.

Now, with the firm announcing its intention to move forward with the project again, a local opposition group has reformed, and plans to campaign against the scheme.

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Suzanne Higgins, a member of the action committee admitted they expected Kilshane Energy to return with a new application.

“It's a little bit like Groundhog Day. We’ve gone through the new application in depth and it appears to be almost a carbon copy of the first one. There’s none of the additional stuff we would have expected, like an Environmental Impact Assessment,” she said, “It's a very vague application.”

“We feel like the site is totally unsuitable even to let alone start building it. This is our main objection. We know these plans are required and we know that this is the proposal from government. But sites like these should be put into areas which are already industrialised.”

Ms Higgins said for the last decade and more, the site has become greenfield, having previously been used by Mr Binman.

“The area has effectively rewilded itself,” she said, “There are once-off houses which have been built within metres of the date, yet here we have an application for massive industry.”

Concerns were also raised around access to the site, with Ms Higgins previously saying all that’s there is a single-lane unmarked road.

Kilshane Energy - backed by Belfast businessman Stuart Draffin - did not return a request for comment from the Leader.

A decision is due from council planners by October 2 next.