Observation pack · Donegal County Council

ILLIES , LIFFORD PO , CO. DONEGAL

A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FOR UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING ILLIES WATER TREATMENT PLANT CONSISTING OF: (1) NEW DISSOLVED AIR FLOTATION BUILDING TO BE CONSTRUCTED ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING DISSOLVED AIR FLOTATION BUILDING, HOUSING A FOURTH DISSOLVED AIR FLOTATION STREAM OF SIMILAR HEIGHT BUT WITH A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THAN THE EXISTING DISSOLVED AIR FLOTATION BUILDING, (2) TWO NEW FIRST STAGE RAPID GRAVITY FILTERS TO BE CONSTRUCTED AS AN EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING SIX RAPID GRAVITY FILTERS, (3) UPGRADE OF THE EXISTING SECOND STAGE RAPID GRAVITY FILTERS TO DUAL-MEDIA CONFIGURATION, INCLUDING MODIFICATIONS TO WEIRS, UNDERDRAINS, AND AIR SYSTEMS, (4) NEW SLUDGE CONCENTRATOR TANK (258M³) TO BE INSTALLED ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING SLUDGE CONCENTRATORS, (5) UPGRADE OF THE EXISTING SLUDGE DEWATERING SYSTEM, INCLUDING PROVISION OF A HIGH-CAPACITY FILTER PRESS, AUTOMATED CONVEYOR SYSTEM, AND A COVERED TRAILER LOADING BAY, (6) DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING WORKSHOP, AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW WORKSHOP AT AN ALTERNATE LOCATION WITHIN THE SITE, (7) NEW EXTERNAL ALUMINIUM SULPHATE (ALUM) BULK STORAGE, COMPRISING TWO 86M³ BUNDED TANKS, (8) MODIFICATION OF THE EXISTING ALUM STORAGE BUILDING TO HOUSE A NEW SODA ASH SILO. BUILDING HEIGHT WILL BE INCREASED TO MATCH THE EXISTING ADJACENT STRUCTURE HOUSING SODA ASH SILOS, (9) INTERNAL MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS (I.E., REMOVAL OF WALL) TO ACCOMMODATE NEW AND UPGRADED SYSTEMS, INCLUDING DOSING ARRANGEMENTS, BACKWASH PUMPS, AND AIR BLOWERS, (10) ELECTRICAL, INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION SYSTEM UPGRADES, INCLUDING A NEW SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM, NEW PANELS, AND INPUT AND OUTPUT SIGNAL MODIFICATIONS TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT, (11) SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS TO BE INSTALLED ON ROOF AREAS TO SUPPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS, (12) IMPROVEMENT OF INTERNAL ROAD LAYOUT AND ACCESS ROUTES TO FACILITATE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND SITE DELIVERIES, (13) NEW FENCING AND GATES TO BE INSTALLED WHERE REQUIRED (MAXIMUM HEIGHT 2.4M), (14) LANDSCAPING, SCREENING, PLANTING AND BIODIVERSITY IMPROVEMENT MEASURES AND (15) ALL ANCILLARY SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS

Observations close 15 Oct 2026 9 days left

5 weeks from receipt (received 10 Sept 2026) · s.34 Planning and Development Act 2000 · art. 29 Regulations 2001 · fee €20 · council decision due 4 Nov 2026

The application

Reference: 2661681 · full record
Authority: Donegal County Council
Type: PERMISSION
Status: NEW APPLICATION
Applicant: not published by the national dataset — see the council register
Units: 0
Floor area: —
Site area: 4.06 ha
Received: 10 Sept 2026
We first saw it: 18 Sept 2026, 15:44
Decision due: 4 Nov 2026
Decision: N/a

The national dataset truncates descriptions (80 characters for DLR, 70 for Fingal) and omits the applicant. The full description and the drawings are on the council register linked in step 1.

How to submit an observation

Read the file on the council register.Drawings, planning statement and site notices are at http://www.eplanning.ie/DonegalCC/AppFileRefDetails/2661681/0.
Write your observation.Quote 2661681 at the top, give your name and the address the authority should reply to, and confine it to planning matters — zoning objective, height, overlooking, traffic, drainage, heritage. What you say here is what you can later appeal on.
Pay the €20 fee.Every submission needs it; without it the observation is invalid and is returned. Donegal County Council takes it online with the submission or at the counter.
Submit before 15 Oct 2026.Online through the register above, or in writing to the Planning Department, Donegal County Council. The test is the date the authority receives it, not the date you post it.
Keep the acknowledgement.The council's receipt is your proof of a valid observation — see below.

Statutory basis. Section 34(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires a planning authority to consider any submission or observation made to it in accordance with the Regulations. Article 29 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) sets the window: a submission or observation must be received by the authority within five weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application, and must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20. A submission received after the window, or without the fee, is invalid and the authority must return it.

After you submit: keep the acknowledgement. Under the 2024 Act it secures your right to appeal — only the applicant and a person who made a valid observation may bring the council's decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála, within four weeks of the decision. Making a valid observation is also what buys a right of appeal: under s.37(1) of the 2000 Act, only the applicant and a person who made a valid submission or observation to the planning authority may appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála (within four weeks of the decision). Missing the five-week window closes both doors.

What the site is zoned

No current zoning polygon covers this site in the store.

Designations on or near the site

Nothing designated within 100 m of the site.

Nearby precedents within 500 m, last 5 years

Decisions

No decided applications within 500 m in the last 5 years.

Appeals

No appeals within 500 m in the last 5 years.

What has happened on this file

10 Sept 2026 New application · observations close 15 Oct 2026
10 Sept 2026 Decision

Generated from the Planning Register store; nothing was fetched live for this page. Source: national planning dataset, fetched 18 Sept 2026, 15:44. Not legal advice — confirm the deadline with Donegal County Council before relying on it.