Permission granted for pet crematorium on Inch Island
Conditional permission has been granted for Inishowen’s first pet crematorium, which will be located on Inch Island.
Donegal County Council granted the permission, with seven conditions, to Francesca McDaid, for change of use of part of an existing farm machinery shed/workshop to create a pet crematorium with incinerator and all associated site works at Glack or Bohullion, Inch Island.
The application was submitted on February 13 and granted last week.
There were 12 submissions from third parties, relating to the application. Objections included concerns that the development would be detrimental to the environment, wildlife (including Inch Wildfowl Reserve) and human health by emission of toxic air pollutants. However, the planning authority ‘did not concur’ and said the crematorium would be ‘sufficiently removed from third party homes and the throughput would be relatively minor.’
They added that the site is in an open rural area and dilution of the ‘minor amount of emissions to the air would be more than adequate to protect the environment and prevent any public health issues arising from the development’.
It also did not concur with an objection it would devalue local properties.
The seven conditions include that the crematorium cannot accept large animals and shall be for ‘small to medium-sized pets’.
Additionally, only five pets over a weight of 20kg shall be permitted per day with no more than a total pre-cremation weight of 250kg of pets cremated per day.
Other conditions relate to hours of operation, storage of pet carcasses, tree planting and public infrastructure contribution.