RiverRidge Seeks Permission for Biodrying Facility Extension Near Garvagh

A planning application has been submitted for an extension to the existing materials recycling facility operated by RiverRidge Recycling Ltd at 56 Craigmore Road, near Garvagh. The proposal seeks permission for a new biodrying facility and associated infrastructure as part of the site's existing waste processing operations.

According to the planning and environmental statement, the development would extend the current Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) by introducing a biodrying process designed to reduce the moisture content of municipal solid waste before it is converted into refuse-derived fuel (RDF). Biodrying uses heat generated naturally through the decomposition of organic material to remove moisture from waste, rather than relying on external fuel sources.

The application site covers approximately 0.4 hectares and is located within the existing RiverRidge waste management complex. The proposed development would be situated on land previously approved for a reception hall under an earlier planning permission, which remains extant. If the new proposal is implemented, that earlier approval would be extinguished.

Under the plans, six enclosed reinforced concrete biodrying tunnels would be constructed, each measuring approximately 45 metres long and 8 metres wide. The facility would be designed to process up to 75,000 tonnes of waste annually, with material remaining in the tunnels for around 14 days during treatment.

The planning statement says the biodrying process could improve the quality of RDF produced on site, increase the recovery of recyclable metals and reduce the overall weight of waste being transported. RiverRidge estimates this could reduce material leaving the site by between 18,000 and 22,500 tonnes per year.

The proposal includes a new industrial building connected to the existing MRF, along with air handling equipment, odour control systems and underground pipework linking to the site's existing leachate treatment infrastructure. The biodrying tunnels and buildings would operate under negative pressure, with extracted air treated through filtration systems before discharge.

Environmental assessments submitted with the application conclude that operational noise levels would remain below background levels at nearby residential properties and that odour impacts would be negligible. The statement also notes that the site is not located within any designated environmental area and is more than five kilometres from the nearest European or nationally designated conservation site.

The facility would operate continuously, although HGV movements associated with the biodrying process would be limited to between 7am and 11pm. The applicant states that the proposal is not expected to increase traffic movements and could potentially reduce outbound vehicle numbers due to the reduction in waste mass following treatment.

RiverRidge says the proposal would support recycling and waste recovery objectives while further reducing reliance on landfill disposal. A decision on the application will be made by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council following consultation with statutory bodies and consideration of all representations received.