Plans to develop a food production facility at a horse stables just outside of Athlone have been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.
BiaSol had hoped to develop a factory which would transform waste grain from breweries into a flour product for use in baking.
Lurgan Foods Limited, trading as Biasol, was established in 2020 by brother and sister, Ruairi and Niamh Dooley.
The company turns traditional food waste into new food products, such as grain used by breweries into flour used in baking.
The company had initially applied to Westmeath County Council to change the use of horse stables in Tubberclair into a food
processing facility.
The equine business based at the site would subsequently close.
They also outlined that no alternative suitable premises could be located within 20km of Athlone to fulfil their business requirements
and future growth.
Permission was granted subject to ten conditions on the 11th of April and now an objection to the project has been lodged with the planning inspectorate.
The original application received a total of eight submissions with concerns raised including additional traffic volumes in the
area, its possible impact on the environment, and how the project would be more sited to an industrial park or zone.
An Bord Pleanala is due to issue a decision on the appeal by the 5th of September.
