Lakeland Dairies has secured planning permission for the installation of an additional milk intake bay at its plant in Killeshandra, Co. Cavan.
The processor had also sought permission for two milk silos, a water re-use silo, an extension and alterations to a staff car park, site entrance alterations.
The development included an internal access road to facilitate the movement of packaging between existing packaging stores on the mill site to the main site.
An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) were submitted as part of the planning application.
According to the planning documents, the development will result in an increase in milk intake at the Killeshandra facility from around 44 million gallons per year to 80 million gallons per year – a rise of 36 million gallons of milk per year.
The documents note that this equates to an additional 693,000 gallons of milk being processed at the plant every week.
Lakeland Dairies
The Lakeland Dairies Killeshandra plant currently manufactures food ingredients from raw milk (casein and whey), ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and cream, ice-cream, mini butters and also operates as a lactose harvesting plant.
Milk is separated and pasteurised into skim and cream. The skimmed milk is used in casein production and a portion of skimmed milk/cream is used for UHT and frozen ice cream on the site.
The remainder of the cream is dispatched to other Lakeland sites for butter production.
The facility on an almost 6ha site operates 365 days a year on the 24-hour basis and the proposed development would increase the number of employees by 8 people.
Cavan County Council decided to grant permission for the proposed development, subject to 14 conditions.
The council said that subject to conditions being met, the development would not adversely affect the residential or visual amenities of the area, would not be prejudicial to public health and would generally be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.
