WEST Cork Distillers’ plans for a large storage facility 7km from Kinsale are up in the air after An Coimisúin Pleanála refused permission over fire safety concerns.

The appeals board raised concerns about how the Skibbereen-based whiskey operation could control a fire at four proposed bonded warehouses in Nohoval.

The board upheld an appeal lodged after planning permission was granted by Cork County Council last October, despite its own inspector recommending that the planning application be granted only with certain conditions attached.

West Cork Distillers got approval for the retention of change of use from agricultural building to four bonded warehouses at Ballinreenlanig, Nohoval, Belgooly.

Planning was also granted for the change of use of an open steel tank to a fire-fighting water tank for three years and approved building of a fire pump house.

But this decision was appealed by Helen O’Dowd, while other observers included Tracton Community Council and Tracton Biodversity Group.

Some of their concerns related to the fact that the proposed site is not zoned for industrial development and the impact of traffic on the mainly rural area.

Others warned it could be a fire hazard and it would lead to noise and light pollution.

They expressed concern that no assessment on climate and human health was carried out.

They also said significant works were carried without planning permission and that there is no community involvement and that it is of no benefit for the community.

West Cork Distillers said the site is within an existing permitted farm shed, and the proposal will not impact the rural character of the area or community.

The company also said that that County Development Plan encourages the development of small-scale businesses in the rural area and encourages farm diversifications.

‘There will be no noise, emissions, increase in traffic or general disturbance. The warehouse will generate low traffic volumes,’ they stated.

The commission went against its own inspector’s recommendation to approve and said it was not satisfied that the applicant had demonstrated sufficient details around the proposed safety measures in the event of a fire.

They did acknowledge that the proposed whiskey storage at a capacity of 4,320 tonnes would be below the threshold of 5,000 tones and would be below the capacity for a Seveso site, which is a classification for industries that store dangerous substances in sufficient quantities to be considered a major accident hazard.

They also had concerns about the proposed remote unmanned whiskey storage facility and that in the event of a fire or spillage it would take considerable time for personnel to get to the site to control such an occurrence.

‘In the absence of adequate details as to how any spillages or run-off which could occur before the arrival of firefighting personnel would be controlled or would be prevented from flowing to ground or surface waters, the commission was not satisfied that the proposal would not be prejudicial to public health, or that It would not give rise to negative impacts on the surrounding environment,’ said planning commissioner Mary Rose McGovern.