Cork incinerator will not be hit by erosion, hearing told

A study of coastal erosion at the site of the planned €160 million incinerator in Cork Harbour has found that the proposed site will not be affected by erosion over the next 30 years, an oral hearing into the project has heard.

The hearing has been called after waste management company Indaver applied for planning permission for the project for a third time.

One of the grounds of refusal by An Bord Pleanála on the last application in 2011 was the susceptibility of the site at the eastern end of the Ringaskiddy peninsula to coastal erosion.

Witness for Indaver, Julie Ascoop, an expert in maritime engineering, told the hearing she had examined coastal erosion patterns at the site and found that the eastern boundary of the site had eroded at different rates over the past 100 years.

Wave action

Ms Ascoop told the hearing in the Carrigaline Court Hotel that a recent study of the impact of storms last December and January said: "The recent localised slope failures were not due to coastal erosion but by wave action alone.

“While recent sea erosion is a contributing factor to erosion along this section of the coast, the recent slips were due to water pressure and flow within the cliff material causing instability and slip failure.”

The study found that that there would be no impact from erosion on the proposed development after 30 years and, while there could be a risk of an impact on a small section of the proposed development after 40 years, this would be confined to an amenity walkway.

The hearing continues.