'Great news' for Quinn Glass as long-running planning battle is won
Wednesday November 04 2009
Quinn Glass has won a long-running battle over the planning approval attached to its €300m glass container manufacturing and filling facility at Elton, Cheshire.
The UK Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government John Denham yesterday secured the future of the plant, including some 700 jobs, following his decision to allow Cheshire West and Chester Council Planning Committee to finally approve its planning application for the facility.
Ardagh Glass, controlled by Dubliner Paul Coulson, has been battling the local council in the UK courts in an effort to prevent it from granting retrospective planning permission to the Quinn Glass facility, part of the business empire of Fermanagh billionaire Sean Quinn.
That legal attempt by Ardagh Glass was unsuccessful, but the judge who heard the case did instruct the council to issue an enforcement notice against Quinn Glass instructing it to cease production and demolish its factory.
The implementation of that order was suspended pending an appeal by Quinn Glass, which has now been successful.
In a statement in the wake of the decision, Quinn Glass said the news is a final step in drawing a line under the planning saga.
Describing the approval as "great news" Quinn Glass director Adrian Curry said the company was "delighted that common sense has prevailed in the end".
- Pat Boyle
Irish Independent
