Downings Artist Studio/Gallery denied due to emergency service congestion concerns

Donegal County Council refused to grant planning permission for the construction of an artist’s studio and gallery space in Downings.

Proposed plans consist of the demolition of the existing derelict store as part of site clearance to facilitate the construction, which used to be the former family home of the Boyces, a family that ran a former grocery and drapery store nearby to the site location, until the shop closed in 1988.

However, Donegal County Council refused planning permission due to traffic concerns, and therefore, the “detrimental impact on the effective functioning and safe operation of the emergency services, which in turn gives rise to serious threats to public safety.”

The listed applicant, Philip Boyce, inherited the site from his late father, Joseph Boyce, and “would like to do something with it in his lifetime which would make a positive contribution to the Downings area.”

According to the support documents, “there is a glaring absence in the area of any provision for the arts.”

It was argued that: “A creative space where local artists could have a platform to exhibit and trade.”

Furthermore, documents stated: “A development of this kind must be supported to diversify the offering available to contribute to the Downings community as well as the existing tourist population.”

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However, parking concerns within the site, and the fact that an access road is used by the Mulroy Coast Guard Unit, were highlighted in the Planner’s Report.

The Department of Transport raised concerns on behalf of the Mulroy Coast Guard Unit, which argued that if the proposal was permitted, it would “have a detrimental effect on the effective functioning and safe operation of the emergency rescue operations.”

It was stated in the Planner’s Report that the existing access to the pier and slipway was identified by the Department of Transport as being the quickest and most direct access to the harbour for rescue boats and rescue crews, and that the Coast Guards already experience issues in relation to vehicular blockages in the adjoining harbour car park.

Ultimately, Donegal County Council refused to grant planning permission for the proposal.

Within the Donegal County Council’s notification of decision to refuse, it was said that the decision had regard to the “documented and known parking pressures facing the adjoining pier car park” as well as the fact that the “use of the access road and car park by the Mulroy Coast Guard Unit, as the quickest, most direct and preferred access to the pier by rescue boats and rescue crews.”

Finally, it was said that “the absence of any clear rationale or viable traffic management and parking strategy, the proposed development would, if permitted, give rise to conflicting traffic movements, which is likely to have a detrimental impact on the
effective functioning and safe operation of the emergency services, which in turn gives rise to serious threats to public safety, contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”