Outcry in Tipperary over plans for large industrial scale biogas plant near rural homes

In a quiet corner of west Tipperary, residents of Ballynilard and the surrounding areas were blindsided by the news early this year of plans for an industrial scale biogas plant coming to their doorstep. Ballynilard is located just 2km outside Tipperary town. 

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Many say they only became aware of the plans when a site notice appeared in January, revealing that local farmer Andrew Kiely  and Nephin Renewable Gas intend to build an anaerobic digestion facility to convert farm waste into biomethane for the national grid.

Local resident Jaime O’Sullivan of the Ballynilard Biogas Concern Group said he was alarmed not only by the scale of the proposed plant but also by the lack of early consultation.

“Some people were listed as having been consulted on the planning application and in actual fact they had not been contacted at all,” he told the Tipperary Star.

He described the project as an industrial-scale waste processing facility and gas refinery in a rural residential area, “Once I realised the scale and location, I started to be concerned” he added.

Planning documents describe a facility that would include three digesters, two digestate storage structures, and a liquid feed tank, alongside a part single-storey, part two-storey reception building housing a laboratory, workshop, and storage areas.

The plant would process manure, slurry, and other feedstocks sourced from local farms, producing biomethane for injection into the national gas grid, carbon dioxide, and a bio-based fertiliser to be returned to participating farms.

According to the developer’s agent, 43 local farmers have agreed to supply feedstock, with many set to receive the fertiliser as part of a circular system.

Jaime O’Sullivan warned that the plant’s daily discharge of 70,000 litres of treated process water could have pollution consequences for the River Ara.

“Even treated, this water contains compounds like nitrates, phosphates, which could threaten the economic development of Tipperary Town in the years and decades ahead,” he said.

He noted that the river’s capacity to absorb pollution is already stretched, with inputs from the local creamery, the town’s wastewater treatment plant, and surrounding agricultural activity, and that it currently holds a “Poor” status under the EU Water Framework Directive.

Under the directive, Ireland is obliged not only to prevent further deterioration but to restore waters to “Good” status by 2027, raising concerns about adding a large-scale facility into an already fragile eco-system. 

Traffic is another major worry for residents. Jaime O’Sullivan highlighted that the plant would require up to 58 heavy goods vehicle trips per day to bring in feedstock, much of it along a narrow regional road with several choke points.

“A lot of this feedstock is coming through parts of Tipperary Town, which already struggles with congestion at key junctions,” he said.

He added that the volume of HGV traffic could compromise road safety, the condition of the road surface, and the daily lives of pedestrians and cyclists, raising questions about whether the local infrastructure can support a facility of this scale.

Residents are also uneasy about the sheer scale of the proposed facility. Jaime O’Sullivan noted that the industrial-style plant would be located within 500 metres of 16 houses, and within a kilometre of around 75 homes.

He pointed out that while similar anaerobic digestion plants exist in countries like Germany and the Netherlands, those sites are subject to strict setback regulations, which are absent in Ireland.

Concerns extend to odours and emissions, with O’Sullivan warning that anaerobic digesters of this size have not yet been widely tested in Ireland, leaving the local community uncertain about potential impacts on air quality.

The developers have highlighted the potential economic benefits, including jobs during construction and operation. Planning documents refer to around 75 jobs, though residents note that long-term on-site employment would likely be limited to five to seven roles once the plant is operational. 

Nephin Renewable Gas, based in Tipperary town, is part of a wider group aiming to expand Ireland’s biomethane production. The company says it seeks to make a meaningful contribution to decarbonising the national gas supply and to become the country’s largest producer of indigenous biomethane.

The raw biogas produced at Ballynilard would be refined to around 97 per cent methane before being injected into a nearby gas line. The plant forms part of a broader strategy supported by national policy, which aims to develop up to 200 biomethane facilities by 2030 as Ireland seeks to cut emissions and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

For many residents, the speed and opacity of the planning process has compounded their unease. Jaime O’Sullivan described a lack of early consultation and a sense that the project was already moving forward before the community could fully respond. “There is a matter of trust that we have to take into account here,” he said.

“The community only found out about this largely at the last minute, both in the neighbourhood and in Tipperary town. For an industrial-scale waste processing facility and gas refinery on a green field site near a river, the absence of robust consultation is a problem. This needs proper scrutiny, not a rush to build a plant that will be here for 25 years.”

According to Jaime O’Sullivan, the Ballynilard application has drawn widespread opposition from the local community. Of the 173 submissions lodged on the council’s planning portal, he said around 168 are objections, reflecting concerns over river pollution, traffic, odour, and the plant’s proximity to homes.

Residents argue that the scale of the facility, combined with limited consultation and gaps in regulation, poses risks to both the environment and quality of life.

The volume of HGV traffic, the potential impact on the River Ara, and the absence of setback rules for industrial-scale anaerobic digesters are recurring themes in the objections Jaime said. 

Despite the late notice of the plans, public engagement has been intense. Jaime O’Sullivan said a submission workshop was held to help residents lodge objections, and that Councillor Liam Browne attended, showing particular interest in concerns over the River Ara.

“We are trying to raise this with councillors in the area, but we have not had a definitive response on it,” he said. He added that while residents have now made their voices heard, it is important that the council consider the application on its merits rather than yielding to government pressure to approve it quickly.

Compounding frustrations, the Tipperary County Council planning portal was offline for around 36 hours just before the submission deadline.

“Despite finding out so late, and the outage on the planning portal, there has been considerable public opposition,” Jaime said, citing the 168 objections lodged. The incident highlights ongoing concerns over accessibility and transparency in the planning process, particularly for large-scale projects with potential environmental and community impacts.

Residents have met with Andrew Kiely, who outlined the proposed plant’s operations and addressed some concerns directly with local residents.

Jaime O’Sullivan said that Mr Kiely presented the project as a modern, low-odour facility. “A couple of weeks ago Andrew Kiely came up and gave us the sales pitch about the plant,” O’Sullivan recalled, expressing scepticism about some of the claims being made by Mr Kiely. 

The Tipperary Star reached out to Nephin Renewable Gas for comment on the Ballynilard application. In response, Eoghan O Neachtain of WONE Ltd., a communications and public affairs company, stated:

“Nephin Renewable Gas (NRG) can confirm that it is currently seeking planning permission to develop a biomethane plant at Ballynilard. As a matter of policy, NRG does not comment on planning applications once it has entered the formal planning process.”

With a March 15th decision pending, Ballynilard residents remain on alert. Concerns over River Ara pollution, traffic, odours, pressure on local infrastructure, and the absence of clear setback zones have prompted numerous objections, alongside questions about consultation and regulation.

Locals such as Jaime O’Sullivan say they want the council to scrutinise the application rigorously and resist any pressure to approve it, arguing that economic progress must not override the protection of the river, public safety, and the long-term future of the community.

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