Cork County Council has approved plans for a new wastewater treatment plant for the Ballineen/Enniskeane area.

The plans, submitted by Uisce Éireann, call for the development of improved wastewater treatment facilities in Derrigra, Ballineen. The development will provide much-needed additional wastewater treatment capacity and support the future sustainable development of the surrounding area.

The proposed facility will include new inlet works, primary settlement tanks, rotating biological contactor units, humus tanks, sludge and chemical dosing infrastructure, a new administration building and associated wastewater pipelines and outfall infrastructure.

Improvements to site access and lighting are also planned, alongside the installation of approximately 200 square metres of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar panels.

Cork North West TD John Paul O’Shea (FG) welcomed the decision, saying that the current plant was designed for a significantly smaller population and is significantly overloaded.

‘The new facility will have a design capacity of 1,250 population equivalent,’ he continued, ‘providing the additional capacity that is required to accommodate existing demand while also creating the headroom necessary for future housing, business and economic development.’

Senator Noel O’Donovan (FG) called the council’s decision a ‘significant vote of confidence in the future of the area.’

Meanwhile Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) also welcomed the development, focusing on the inclusion of the photovoltaic panels.

‘The incorporation of renewable energy into the project is a positive addition which can help reduce the facility’s operational costs and improve its environmental sustainability,’ he said.

They all agreed the priority must be to carry this momentum into construction, with the focus on delivering the new facility without unnecessary delay.