Ballintra B&B accommodation extension permission upheld by An Coimisiún Pleanála

An Coimisiún Pleanála has upheld a Donegal County Council decision to grant retention planning permission for the extension of a Ballintra B&B, currently used as an Emergency Accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.

The planning applicant successfully applied for planning permission for Drumnacroil House in June 2025, for the attic utilisation to provide four additional bedrooms for bed & breakfast use and all associated site works. 

Appellants lodged a planning appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála in August, alleging that public safety was at risk to occupants and road users, as occupants have to use the N15 hard shoulder to access public facilities some 850 metres away; that the wastewater treatment arrangements onsite do not satisfy recommended separation distances, and that “odour still emanates from the site.”

Furthermore, the appellant expressed fire safety concerns, questioned whether appropriate environmental assessments had been carried out, and queried the appropriateness of retention planning permission being sought three years after development.

In response, the planning applicant said there were 20 Ukrainian refugees residing in the premises, though it was anticipated that the business would revert to B&B use.

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The planning applicant contended that walking on the hard shoulder does not actually happen, stating that a minibus was available for residents to transport them to Donegal Town in order to meet their daily and weekly needs, and children were transported to school by bus.

According to the planning applicant, €40,000 was invested in upgrading the sewerage treatment system three years ago, and that odours “could equally be associated with another nearby business and farm.”

Finally, the planning applicant confirmed that fire safety certificates did exist for the property and a local fire officer had inspected the site, and stated that Donegal County Council “would have screened the new effluent treatment system” for its environmental impact when determining the application.

The planning applicant concluded: “The fact that the property has been used as emergency accommodation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 points to its compliance with standards set down by government agencies.”

Planning inspector, Tony Quinn, agreed with the appellant that it was “far from best practice to seek retrospective planning permission after development has occurred, especially in relation to development in the countryside that requires wastewater treatment,” but noted “an application for retention is still an accepted part of the planning system.”

No odours “were discerned on the day of inspection by the Council in June 2025, and no odour assessment was requested by the Council,” said the planning inspector, and that compliance with wastewater treatment distances “should largely mitigate concerns in this regard.”

Regarding traffic and public safety, the planning inspector wrote: “On the day of site inspection, it was observed that a minibus was available on site to transport refugees to assess services in Donegal Town and elsewhere. School children are transported by bus.

“In the absence of definitive information to substantiate this contention, it is difficult to attach significant weight to these claims.

“Moreover, no evidence has been submitted which testifies to the incidence of traffic-related accidents in this regard.” 

An Coimisiún Pleanála did not overturn the granted retention permission, as it was considered that the “proposed development would be acceptable in terms of public health and environmental sustainability and would not seriously injure the amenity of the area.”

Planning commissioner, Mary Henchy, signed An Coimisiún Pleanála’s direction order in December.