Connolly Meats Limited has applied to Monaghan County Council for planning permission for a wind turbine.

The proposed 850kW wind turbine would be located at the north area of the company's existing meat processing plant at Dundrumman, Scotstown.

The wind turbine would have a maximum height of 91 metres, including a hub height of 65 metres and a blade radius of 26 metres.

The planning application also includes underground ducting to connect the turbine to the existing ESB substation, along with all associated site works.

The proposed development site, owned by the company, is around 4km west of the village of Scotstown and currently consists of improved agricultural grassland grazed by cattle.

Connolly Meats has various facilities and buildings on adjacent lands including packaging facilities and agricultural sheds

Monaghan County Council planners are due to make a decision on the application by early October.

The application has been accompanied by a Screening for Appropriate Assessment (AA) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS).

Connolly Meats moved its factory to a new green field site closer to the family farm in 2004 where a state-of-the- art production facility was constructed.

The family run business centres around sourcing and producing all the products that come from pigs and pigmeat.

According to the company's website, it currently employs around 55 staff, which increases during peak seasonal times.

Connolly Meats sells its products to customers throughout the island of Ireland and into the UK market.

It also supplies small convenient stores and supermarkets, local butchers and wholesalers and larger retailers such as Dunnes Stores and Aldi in the Republic of Ireland and Tesco and Asda in the UK.