Planning permission granted for Donegal Bay Maritime Centre

Planning permission has been approved for the Donegal Bay Maritime Centre at the pier in Donegal town.
Donegal Bay Rowing Club and Gym and the Donegal Dragon Boat Club are behind the project.
Donegal County Council has granted planning permission for the two-storey building with viewing balconies, boat storage and other facilities at the Pier car park in Donegal town.
The project is led by Seamus Maguire on behalf of the two groups.
He said the project is probably one of the most significant voluntary-led developments in Donegal town in recent times.
“This ambitious project is envisaged not only to cater for the explosion in recreational activity at the pier in recent years including rowing, dragon boats, kayaks, sailing, recreational fishing, boat trips, etc but also has a wider ambitions to bolster tourism locally one of the key economic growth sectors in Donegal town,” he said.
“The concept of the building there is the potential to have a tourism element that celebrates our town’s unique maritime heritage and culture. The concept for the building is that it would have multiple uses catering not only for the club with storage facilities, changing rooms and toilets as well as an innovative tourism element."

Mr Maguire, who recently ran for a council seat in Donegal, said the inclusion of the Donegal Bay Maritime Centre as a category 1 project in the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for 2019 would be a key target given the building has now successfully received planning permission.
“The potential exists within the project proposal to develop a unique visitor experience celebrating our coastal heritage and culture as well as developing a unique visitor experience looking at the Old Abbey and its history. The Annual of the Four Master could be on display utilising modern technology to bring the experience to life.”