FOUR appeals against the £120 million development of a lead and zinc mine at Lisheen in north Tipperary have been lodged with An Bord Pleanala by local people opposed to the project. The appeals are based on environmental concerns.

Two of the appeals were lodged by local farm owners, Mr William Dwyer and Mr Ned Doyle, and by Mr William and Mrs Ann Purcell. Another appeal was submitted by the mine division of the Irish Farmers Association's in Thurles, Co Tipperary.

The appeals follow an earlier one by a local businesswoman, Ms Mary Ellen Sheehy, who runs a rabbit colony and a environmentally based business close to the mine site.

No further objections to the proposed mine would be accepted by An Bord Pleanala which, in accordance with the planning laws, had imposed a deadline of Monday last for acceptance of appeals.

An Bord Pleanala has set a provisional date of January 10th. 1997, for its decision on whether the appeals should be upheld. It does however have the discretion to further delay a decision.

The appeals would delay the development of the mine for some time. Its developers, Minorco had been preparing to start construction at Lisheen shortly.

Ivernia West and Minorco/ Lisheen were granted planning permission last month to go ahead with the development by Tipperary County Council. Planning permission was granted subject to 21 conditions.

Yesterday, the company said it was waiting to assess the basis for the appeals.

The mine will take two years to build and the developers expect it would generate over 700 construction related jobs in the area. When operational, it would employ between 350 and 500 people.

The Lisheen mine is close to another being developed by Arcon International Resources at Galmoy, Co Kilkenny.

That mine ran into strong opposition from local groups concerned about the impact on the surrounding lands.