Environment « Thurles Information

Kickham Street Thurles Seriously Flooded.

**East on** **Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.**

Kickham Street, here east of Thurles town Co. Tipperary this evening, remains seriously flooded, following a severe rain storm that brought our Mediterranean weather to a swift halt.

The problem which has occurred this evening in the area is as a direct result of negligence by Tipperary Municipal District Council officials, who have ignored their responsibilities in the need to unblock drains in the area.

Photographs were sent on March 10th last, (Five months ago) explaining the problems on Kickham Street to the Thurles Municipal District Council engineer and to local elected councillors, which were totally and deliberately ignored.
Tipperary County Council can confirm same by viewing the numerous pictures sent to “Customer Service Desk” reference number T-151500-F3F1 and “Customer Service Desk” reference number T-151595-Y1S0.
Alas, there may be a Tipperary Co. Council “Desk” but regretably NO “Customer Service”.

Same flooding now threatens houses in the immediate vicinity of Aldi Supermarket and the entrance to Monakeeba housing estate.

Sewage manhole covers have been lifted by rising water and pedestrians and motorists are being asked to take great care.

Gardaí also confirm flooding on Friar Street in the town.

**West on Friar Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.**

We understand that buildings in the area were flooded out, including Lacey’s Butcher Shop and Mason’s former plummers premises.
Two units of Thurles Fire brigade were called to pump out the area pictured above, with the street completely closed during the operation.

Waste Material Recovery Space Set To Double In Cabragh Business Park, Thurles.

Tipperary County Council has, by an order dated 16th July, 2021, now decided to grant permission for yet one further development of a single storey, waste material, recovery and transfer facility at the Cabragh Business Park, Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, much to the regret of many of the local people living in the immediate vicinity.

Initially, back in February last, planning had been sought for a 24.500 ton waste collection centre. Why the sudden change in the recent application is known, however residents are refusing to confirm at this time.

**Cabragh Business Park, Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**

Already, within the same immediate vicinity is yet one other single storey material waste recovery and transfer facility with similar waste storage capacity; allowing for the acceptance and handling of waste materials, again to the amount of 5,000 tonnes per annum. In total now, with both facilities existing within Cabragh Business Park, waste storage has been doubled to 10,000 tonnes per annum.

This new sanctioned planning grant permits for:- (A) the erection of a single storey material recovery and transfer facility building on a floor area of 1031 m sq., (B) a single storage detached prefabricated office building on a floor area of 60 m sq. with signage on both buildings, (C) vehicular access to the site via the existing entrance, (D) a service yard with vehicle weighbridge and vehicle washing area with the site, (E) on-site staff and visitor car parking and truck parking areas, (F) all necessary ancillary site development works to facilitate this development with boundary treatment and landscaping, (G) all associated site works consisting of petrol interceptor and silt traps and connection to existing septic tank and upgraded percolation area with all associated site works.

It has as yet not been established, if persons living within the area will now appeal against this planning grant; to An Bord Pleanala. Same is required within the four weeks, from the date of the making of this decision; i.e. 16th July, 2021, by Tipperary County Council’s Planning Authority.

Draft National Hazardous Waste Management Plan Open For Public Consultation.

The Draft National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2021 to 2027 and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment are now open for public consultation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today published the draft National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2001-2007 and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment. These documents are open for public consultation until September 17th 2021.
The objectives of the draft National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2021 – 2027 are to:

Support and drive prevention of hazardous waste.
Improve the collection infrastructure for hazardous waste.
Endorse the proximity principle so that hazardous wastes are treated as close to the point of production as possible – including within Ireland.
Support effective regulation of the movement and disposal of hazardous wastes in line with national policy priorities.
Promote safe reuse and recycling pathways in support of the circular economy.

Ms Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA said:
“The purpose of the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan is to protect the environment and human health, through promoting awareness, driving prevention and advocating for best-practice management of hazardous wastes. National waste statistics published by the EPA have highlighted the steady increase in hazardous waste generated in Ireland with the majority exported for treatment. This draft plan sets a range of recommended and co-ordinated actions across a range of stakeholders to raise awareness, prevent hazardous waste and improve the collection network for hazardous waste. I encourage interested stakeholders to contribute to the public consultation.”

While good progress has been made based on the actions from the previous National Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2014 – 2020, there are still many challenges such as an increasing trend in hazardous waste generated, inadequate collection systems for certain hazardous wastes and the over-reliance on export.

Ms Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager, EPA Office of Environmental Sustainability said:
“Moving to a less wasteful and circular economy where the focus is waste prevention, reuse and recycling is an important element of the plan. However, materials with hazardous properties are widely used throughout our economy and society; from highly regulated industrial settings through to our households. These hazardous materials can pose significant risks to human health and the environment if they are not properly used and managed.
Actions within the plan are wide ranging and include support the move to a less wasteful and circular economy including those that support awareness about the risks associated with using and storing hazardous substances and improved national collection systems for priority hazardous wastes, such as farm hazardous waste and unused and out-of-date medicines.”

The draft National Hazardous Waste Management Plan, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment are available to view and download HERE.
Submissions and observations are now invited from the public and interested stakeholders. The consultation period closes at 5:00pm on Friday September 17th 2021.
For information on how to make a public consultation please see HERE.
Further information: Emily Williamson: EPA Media Relations Office, Tel: 053 9170770 (24 hours) or Email: media@epa.ie.

Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary – So what’s the Plan?

“Fail to plan and you plan to fail”

The €9 million plus rejuvenation of Liberty Square, Thurles is surely be welcomed. Improvements have been made both below ground and above ground, and most people will agree that the lighting fixtures and granite pavement choices for the square are aesthetically pleasing.

Nevertheless, the persistent presence of a maze of barricades, coupled with the disappearance of beloved trees and the apparent narrowing of the roadways, has prompted quite a lot of head scratching, eyebrow raising and questioning among locals of late.

**With 4 traffic lanes reduced to 2, in Liberty SquareThurles ;** [**See HERE]** **how will ordinary street traffic pull out of the way, to avoid emergency vehicles, latter responding to any emergency incident. *e.g. Ambulance / Doctor / Fire Brigade services*?**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*

Here are just some of the questions being asked by our readers and Thurles residents.

(1) When will the rejuvenation project actually finish? Rumours abound, but at best it is estimated to be possibly March/April 2022 and at worst it could be July/August 2022.

(2) As the pedestrian areas on Liberty Square expand and increase while road space decreases, will there actually be sufficient space for ordinary traffic to pull over to avoid emergency vehicles, e.g. ambulances and fire engines, latter responding to emergency incidents, not to mention the ability of 20 wheeler delivery trucks, to pass, travelling in different directions? [See picture above.]

(3) If plans are being aimed to deter traffic and attract pedestrians, what impact will this have on our surrounding streets and roads?

(4) Having removed our healthy trees in an act of what can only be described as sheer savagery, are there any plans to replant same?

(5) We have beautiful pavements and an abundance of pedestrian space, but what is going to be done to get foot fall on these footpaths?

(6) What plans are in place to support and stimulate the Liberty Square economy?

Finding the answers to these questions is proving difficult based on current plans.

Although limited consultations have taken place with local residents, business owners and other interested parties, same appear to be little more than token in nature with none of the submissions by residents being implemented.

Indeed, it would appear that a final version of the plan for Liberty Square’s rejuvenation has yet to be released to the public. Some locals worry that the absence of a final plan and completion date may be indicative of inadequate planning. As the saying goes “fail to plan and you plan to fail”. Let’s hope that this isn’t the case.

We could all do without the continued wastage of public time and money, as was experienced with the planning on the Clongour Road and Slievenamon Road Junction.

July Wildflowers.

**Pictured yesterday on the Yellow Lough Road** *(R659)* **just outside Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**. *Photo: G. Willoughby*.

Wildflower.

Written by Clinton Arneson

The wildflower… bred by no one, uncultivated;
raised hard, raised rough.
No glass pane to shield you, nor tender hand revealed you,
standing all the sweeter ‘gainst the grass.
There may be some the fairer,
though none so brave to dare her,
wild, wild flower in the wind.
END