Residents in the towns of Killucan and Kinnegad, Co Westmeath, have welcomed the local authority's rejection of a controversial planning application for a landfill site.
The application by a Dublin-based company, Celtic Waste Limited, was made six months ago and was immediately opposed by residents.
It was proposed that the 34.6-acre dump at Annaskinnan, two miles from Killucan and Kinnegad, would accept 175,000 tonnes of waste each year and would have an operating life of about 10 years.
Westmeath County Council has just rejected the application on the grounds that the dump would materially contravene the county development plan, which contains no specific objective for a landfill site in the area. The dump would "seriously injure the amenity value" of the Royal Canal, which the council had planned to develop as an amenity and tourist attraction. Among the grounds for rejection, the council also stated that the dump would be a serious traffic hazard and would depreciate the value of property in the area.
Mr David McAuliffe, chairman of the Killucan/Kinnegad environmental group, said residents were "absolutely delighted".
He believed many points on the council's list of reasons for refusal coincided with the residents' submissions on the planning application.
However, he said the fight was not over and the committee would be prepared for an appeal and for a process that could take some years to complete.
In a statement, Celtic Waste Ltd said it was disappointed, given that Westmeath, like many other counties in Ireland, had a waste management problem. There were 11 unlicensed facilities in the county, said the company.
"There is now a critical need to develop a range of facilities in Co Westmeath and the rest of the Midland region, including recycling, composting and high quality landfill for residual waste.
"These facilities take time to develop and Celtic Waste has expertise in these areas.
"The company's activities now span the full range of collection, transfer stations, recycling, composting and landfill.
"The company owns and operates the country's first, private sector, EPA-licensed landfill site situated in Co Kildare and it is operated to the highest environmental standards." Celtic Waste said it would appeal the council's decision to An Bord Pleanβla.