An initial application was lodged by the company with Planning Service last June. However, a number of the 20 consultees appointed have requested additional information regarding key aspects of the project, chief among them being Rose Energy's plans to source the water required by the plant and the impact of the operation on the existing road network in the Glenavy area. This information must be made available by Rose Energy to Planning Service on or before June 12th this year.
"One of the key factors which determined the suitability of the site is its proximity to the Lough and the availability of water from it. We also looked at the feasibility of utilising ground water from the site which we already own, but the tests carried out were not conclusive," explained Rose Energy chief executive Osvaldo Mauro-Hun (pictured).
"Therefore, we need to proceed with plans to source water from Lough Neagh. Our plan is to access the water in the Lough by way of an underground pipe. And I can confirm that all the necessary agreements to make this possible will be in place by June 12th."
The Rose Energy representative added that he is not in a position to confirm the route of the water pipeline but stressed that all the required information will be provided to Planning Service in three weeks' time.
He continued:"I am confident that the additional information we can now supply will meet the concerns of all interested parties in full. The water sourced from Lough Neagh will be used to produce steam for the turbines and to indirectly cool the plant.
"A proportion of the water used in the plant will be returned to the Lough by way of the Glenavy River. We are working closely with experts from Queen's University to ensure that this water will be cooled sufficiently and will not upset the flora and fauna in the river.
"In terms of the volume of water needed to cool the plant, the quantities required represent less than 1% of the volume extracted from the Lough for drinking purposes, so it's a comparatively small amount.
"With regard to the road infrastructure in the Glenavy area, our plans show that the increased traffic usage resulting from lorries entering and exiting the site will be minimal. We have fully quantified this aspect of our plans and it is up to the authorities to decide if upgrades to the existing roads will be required," he added.
The Rose Energy management team believes that Environment Minister Sammy Wilson will be in a position to decide on their planning application by the autumn of this year. Obviously, they have no wish for this matter to go to a public enquiry.
"The poultry industry is in a state of limbo at the present time," stressed Osvaldo Mauro-Hun.
"The derogation from the Nitrates' Directive, allowing poultry producers to spread litter on land, ran out last December. Negotiations in Brussels to secure an additional derogation are underway.
"The poultry sector cannot make any investment decisions for the future until the litter issue is satisfactorily dealt with. Further delays in this regard will not be welcomed by the European Commission in Brussels."
He concluded: "AFBI was commissioned by DARD some time ago to advise on the best way forward in terms of dealing with the poultry litter challenge. The recommendation then was to opt for a combustion solution on a single site. AFBI has recently revisited this matter. Significantly, they are still recommending the same way forward."
If Rose Energy secures planning permission this autumn, the new plant at Glenavy should be fully operational by 2012.