Planning granted to complete Inishowen housing development 17 years after first permission

Donegal County Council has granted planning permission for the completion of a partially built housing estate in a rural area of Inishowen despite admitting that the development could contravene the county development plan.

Planning permission has been granted for the completion of the housing development near Burnfoot, 17 years after planning permission was first granted.

Rockstown Developments Limited has been granted planning for the completion of the multiple residential development at Rockstown, Tievebane, Burnfoot.

The development of six detached houses was first granted planning permission by the council in August 2005 to Gregory McElhinney.

A further two applications were granted in 2006 and 2007 and two extensions of duration were also granted.

Rockstown Developments was also granted two extensions of duration in 2010.

One objection was lodged which raised concerns about the wastewater treatment system and that the development breached policies which prevent multiple developments in the countryside.

The council admitted in a planning report on the development that the application for “multiple housing developments in a rural area” could be a contravention of rural housing policies.

“On a puritanical reading” of the county development plan, the application seeking permission for the provision of a multiple housing development in a rural area, “under normal greenfield circumstances would not be open for consideration and a contravention of current rural housing policies” under the county development plan, the council said.

But the local authority said it had no power to order the demolition or removal of the five of the six houses that have “substantial blockwork completed” as they are “authorised structures”.

"Therefore, and taking a sensible and pragmatic stance in relation to what exists on site and what is proposed, it is considered that the principle of the houses on site has already been established (except for the proposed house closest to the public road) and that the proposed development is open to consideration."

The council granted planning permission following a request for further information with 15 conditions.