Shannon LNG has lodged an appeal against An Bord Pleanála’s decision to refusion planning permission to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in North Kerry.
The planning appeals board had ruled it would not be appropriate to permit or proceed with any development of an LNG terminal in this country, pending the completion of the review into the security of Ireland’s energy supply.
Shannon LNG, a subsidiary of American company New Fortress Energy, had applied for permission to build a power plant on the Tarbert/ Ballylongford landbank.
The planning application proposed to develop a liquefied natural gas terminal including a floating storage and regasification unit and onshore receiving facilities on the 52-hectare site.
Radio Kerry understands that in papers filed with the High Court, Shannon LNG claims An Bord Pleanala has “misinterpreted and misapplied” the government’s fracked gas policy, and had failed to provide for the possibility that a condition could have been added to the permission restricting the importation of fracked gas.
The Government’s Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas including a moratorium on the development of LNG import terminals pending the completion of review of security of supply and states that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas.
Shannon LNG also claims the planning appeal board’s decision had failed to take into account the vulnerable state of Ireland’s energy security.
Shannon LNG is seeking to have the government’s -fracking policy statement quashed, claiming it’s counter to EU law and that it was directed at one project - Shannon LNG - and therefore was a direct interference by the government in the company’s right to natural justice.
