Donegal County Council denies planning for Narin campervan park

Donegal County Council has refused to grant planning permission for the construction of a campervan park in Narin, Portnoo. 

The Planning Authority considered that the proposals would fail “to assimilate successfully into the landscape,” and cause a “detrimental change.” 

Listed applicant, Patrick Boyle, had submitted an application for the construction of the campervan park, to be situated at a site of Lakeview Estate, consisting of 10 campervan parking bays with associated services, internal pathways, laneways and additional parking areas, a play area and picnic benches within green areas, a service building containing showers, toilets, and a reception area. 

Included in the application was the installation of a new on-site sewage treatment and percolation area, new signage at the entrance to the site, together with all associated site development works.

It is not the first time that applications for a campervan park at the site failed to get the green light from Donegal County Council, as an application was refused in 2013, and another application was withdrawn in 2022. 

Within the Planner’s Report, the location of the proposed campervan park on a visually prominent and exposed site was considered, as was its location within an area of High Scenic Amenity and the impact on the scenic quality, visual amenity and rural character of the area, and the significant impacts on existing residential amenities of neighbouring dwellings.

READ NEXT: An Coimisiún Pleanála upholds Bunbeg Bank of Ireland conversion permission

The refusal to grant planning permission was therefore recommended because “the proposed development fails to assimilate successfully into the landscape and would, by reason of itself and the undesirable precedent it would set, cause a detrimental change to and further erode the existing residential amenities, rural character and visual amenities of this rural area.

“To permit the development would therefore be contrary to the aforementioned objective and policies of the County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 and thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

Prior to Donegal County Council’s decision, an application letter written by Cornerstone Associates, on behalf of the applicant, stated: “Our client has an existing facility located by the beach at Narin and the golf club. He has this business for a considerable length of time and is fully linked into the tourism sector, his current site is a static site, which can be viewed from this subject site. This site will be solely for the use of campervans.

“Narin Beach is a destination along the Wild Atlantic Way where a lot of the campers stop and make use of the beach. Our client wishes to develop this facility so that they can extend their dwell time in the local area and still take advantage of the significant site views.

“This site will be clearly marked out, controlled access to the site, via the registration office, and our client has provided for the appropriate shower and toilet facilities while also catering for bin storage/disposal at this location. 

“This will be closely monitored so as to control any anti-social behaviour - this site will be priced reflected to attract more of the higher profile users with larger campervans that currently block and restrict public access along the Narin beachfront.

“The site will have a secured location and gated access so that the campervans can be parked up safely without fear of damage or vandalism.”