Gas Terminal Permission on Shannon Estuary is Overturned by High Court

9th November 2020

Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) had in 2018 initiated its judicial review challenge to the extension of permission for the terminal, which includes four large tanks, jetties to receive ships, and associated works, at Kilcolgan, near Tarbert in north Kerry.

Formal orders by the High Court have been made in overturning An Bord Pleanála’s extension of planning permission for the Shannon LNG controversial gas terminal.

Mr Justice Garrett Simons made the orders on Monday arising from a recent decision of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) on European law issues referred by him to that court in early 2019 in the challenge by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) to the extension of permission.

FIE argued the permission should not have been extended without environmental assessment because special protection areas in the Shannon estuary where the terminal was to be built were extended since permission was first granted in 2008.

Last September, the CJEU advised the High Court the extension of permission must be subject to a new environmental impact assessment under the Habitats Directive.

For further reading The Irish Times reports.

Published in Shannon Estuary

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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Shannon Foynes Port Information

Shannon Foynes Port (SFPC) are investing in an unprecedented expansion at its general cargo terminal, Foynes, adding over two-thirds the size of its existing area. In the latest phase of a €64 million investment programme, SFPC is investing over €20 million in enabling works alone to convert 83 acres on the east side of the existing port into a landbank for marine-related industry, port-centric logistics and associated infrastructure. The project, which will be developed on a phased basis over the next five years, will require the biggest infrastructure works programme ever undertaken at the port, with the entire 83 acre landbank having to be raised by 4.4 metres. The programme will also require the provision of new internal roads and multiple bridge access as well as roundabout access.