The development will comprise three structures to be located in two separate areas on an 18.7-acre site. A general storage building will accommodate raw materials and delivery vehicles. A store utilities building will house a standby generator and compressor. And a magazine building will store commercial explosive products. This last building will be 9.1 metres wide and 8.5 metres long. The building is to incorporate slab reinforcement mesh within the foundations and the roof. A four-metre-high boundary security fence is to be erected and 11-metre-high security lighting is proposed.

Local people have vehemently opposed the plan citing issues of safety, increased traffic, devaluation of housing and the general impact the development could have on what is a tranquil rural environment.

The board decided the proposed development would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. In its ruling it stated: "Having regard to the location of the site and the layout of the proposed development, it is considered that, subject to compliance with conditions, the proposed development would not give rise to significant security and safety issues, would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience."

Local residents, who formed the Anti-Explosives Action Team, objected to the proposed development on a variety of grounds, claiming:

>> The chosen location is a quiet rural area and the proposed development would radically alter this.

>> The storage facility could become a target for vandals and criminals.

>> Vehicles carrying high explosives would be using the same >> The presence of the depot would discourage families from building housing in the area.

However, Irish Industrial Explosives Ltd (IIE), which had earlier been granted planning permission to build the facility by Mayo County Council, said a storage depot was needed to service the quarry industry in Connacht. The company claimed the logistics of transporting explosives on a daily basis from its existing facility at Enfield, Co Meath was becoming more difficult.

Security regulations demand that explosives are used on the day they are delivered to their destination point. This means arrival times at quarries must be early in the day.

Certain peripheral areas in the west are difficult to serve in this way, the company said.

IIE says the west of Ireland is a growing region for quarrying and construction activities. The company has been supplying packaged explosive products into the region since 1967. However, because security regulations dictate no onsite storage is allowed at quarries, only the quantity of material needed can be sent out on trucks. The company says no commercial explosives will be manufactured at the location and only a small amount of finished product will be stored at the magazine.

This will be delivered to the site around twice a week, depending on market demand. A small number of trucks will operate from the site which will be monitored 24 hours a day.

A representative of the protesting residents declined to comment on the board's decision. Local Fine Gael councillor Eugene Lavin said the concerns of local people were understandable. "Some people make the point that because it's a remote location it's an ideal spot for something like this.

But the people of Kilkelly are as entitled as anyone else to have their concerns addressed.

It's hardly surprising that some people in the area are not at all pleased with the decision.

"Now that permission has been granted the key thing is to ensure that the strict guidelines laid down for the facility are adhered to. I know that one concern of local people is the fact that explosive materials will be transported on local roads. But in fairness you could argue that in certain instances a petrol tanker poses as serious a risk."

Gardai and the army escort all commercial explosive deliveries made throughout the country. There is a garda present at all quarries where the use of explosives is planned and officers remain at the location until the explosive material is detonated.

"This is a very sensitive issue, " says Swinford Fine Gael councillor and local auctioneer Joe Mellet. "Given the level of opposition to the development, I'm surprised I haven't heard from any of the campaigners since the decision was arrived at. The truth is, there are lots of objectionable things you could have built on your doorstep but not many would be more objectionable that an explosives depot."