Plans unveiled to demolish massive former Mink Farm in the Midlands

Planning permission is being sought to demolish a massive former Mink Farm in the Midlands. 

VASA Ltd has applied for permission to remove the 74 buildings associated with the former Mink Farm from land at Ballymanus, Vicarstown, Stradbally. 

The farming of Mink for fur was banned in Ireland last year. The farm in Stradbally was in operation since the 1960s and the total floor space for housing Mink amounted to 32,894 square metres. .  

Now the operator has asked Laois County Council for permission for the demolition and removal of  74 “mink farm related buildings” and surface water facilities. 

The different types of buildings formerly used to house mink at the site are outlined in the application. 

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There are 30 Type A Mink House buildings which are between 25 and 116 metres long with a total floor space of 12,494 square metres. There are 24 Type B Mink House buildings which are between 34 and 68 metres long with a total floor space of 6,831 square metres. 

A further six Type C Mink House buildings which are between 106 and 113 metres long cover a total floor area of 3,415 square metres and seven Type D Mink House buildings that are between 108 and 120 metres long with a floor space of 7,746 square metres. 

There are four Type E Mink House buildings each 120.4 metres long and with a total floor space of 2,408 square metres.

Along with the Mink House buildings, Vasa is seeking to remove a staff building covering 22 square metres and two storage buildings covering 118 square metres. Together with the Mink House buildings, the total square metres of floor space is 33,036.

The application also seeks to remove four feed silos with an overall capacity of 1008 m3  and a 40 foot shipping container.   

The plan seeks permission to properly dispose of asbestos from the roof of existing buildings. Asbestos cladding is to be removed from a Fridge Building and replaced with concrete cladding. 

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The application seeks to modify three of the existing Mink House buildings in order to make them suitable to house cattle. There are also plans to bring in inert topsoil to restore the original ground level once the buildings are removed. 

Laois County Council is due to decide on the application in June.