Kildare farmer gets permission to plant forestry on 18 acre site

IN what looks like a big win for the Kildare environment, a plan to import over 0.25m tonnes of topsoil to be able to plant native broadleaf forestry on a 7.2Ha (18ac) site in Kill has been granted an extended permission within two months of the application being submitted.

Stephen Morrison made the original application to Kildare County Council in 2019 to remediate half of said site (3.7Ha) with the importation of 128,000 tonnes of topsoil, inert soil and stone.

However, without having completed the task within the allocated timeline of five years for each permission, Mr Morrison applied for an extension on that original planning on 10 June for the site in Hartwell Upper 2km northeast of the village, and he was given the go-ahead on 1 August.

The recent planner’s report noted: 'The key issue is whether substantial works have been carried out on this site, and from information submitted…and confirmed by a site visit, it is clear that significant amounts of soil have been imported to the site.'

The planner continued: 'While distribution and contouring has not yet occurred, the importation of approximately half of the permitted topsoil - and its storage onsite – is considered to constitute ‘substantial works’ during the appropriate period.'

The planner felt the extension as granted last week to be valid, and thus permitted.

Stephen Morrison is a third-generation beef farmer, and self-described “eco-warrior” who farms 300 acres in Hartwell with wife Heidi and their four children.

He was also a ‘Farming for Nature’ ambassador in 2020.