7 days ago
Details of proposed planning 'exemption' for slurry storage set to be unveiled
A proposal will be brought before Cabinet today (Tuesday, July 29) that will set out the details of a planning exemption for slurry storage.
It is understood that Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne will set out the proposals - which were drawn up by Minister of State for planning John Cummins - to Cabinet.
These will exempt specific developments from the "requirement to seek planning permission" if they are particularly relevant for the agriculture or fishing sectors.
Following on from discussions between the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Minister Cummins, it is expected that a timeline to bring forward the proposed planning exemption for slurry storage will be outlined.
It is understood that this planning exemption for slurry storage could be place to coincide with the application window for the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) 3 this autumn and would be "prioritised" when the Dáil returns in September.
The promise of a planning exemption for slurry storage was first dangled by the government last autumn.
But just last month the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) had warned that the government's delay in announcing details of the proposed planning waiver had led to some farmers postponing investments in slurry storage.
The ICMSA had said this was" "hugely regrettable" given the concerted efforts to to improve water quality.
Earlier this year in May, Minister Heydon had confirmed that his department had submitted a range of proposals for changes to the exempted development regulations.
At the time the minister had said that there was "no proposal to exempt all structures under the TAMS Nutrient Storage Scheme".
It is understood that a four-week public consultation - expected to go live at 2pm today - will be launched on the "practical proposals" in relation to planning and structures that may be classified as exempted developments.
These proposals aim to deliver "appropriate flexibility" on what may be carried out on agricultural land without the need for planning permission.
Meanwhile, this four-week window will give farm organisations and any other interested party, including members of the public, an important opportunity to make submissions to the public consultation on Minister Cummins' proposals.
Agriland understands that the public consultation document will set out the conditions of the proposal on planning exemption for slurry storage.
It will set out that this exemption "in support of compliance with the nitrates directive, provide additional slurry storage capacity on farms with a total maximum capacity of no more than 1,500m3".
The document also outlines that "consideration needs to be given to this aggregated total and appropriate separation distances between farm holdings and adjacent properties".
"This aggregated total would include existing slurry storage exemption provisions associated with structures for the housing of animals under Class 6 and a new exemption for a stand-alone slurry storage tank of up to 1,000m3.
"In the interest of animal welfare, increase the exemption under Class 6 in relation to animal housing size from 200m2 to 300m2".
