New community group home approved in Carndonagh

Planning permission has been granted for the development of a new community group home in Carndonagh.

The development will provide supported living accommodation as part of the HSE’s ongoing national decongregation programme.

Donegal County Council approved the application submitted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) North West for the refurbishment and extension of an existing dwelling at Moss Road, Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh.

The development will transform the property into a modern community group home designed to support people with significant care needs in a community-based setting.

The approved works include an extension to the existing house, the decommissioning of the current septic tank, and connection to public storm and foul drainage systems, along with all associated site works.

Once completed, the home will accommodate four residents who are transitioning from the James Connolly Memorial (JCM) Residential Unit in Carndonagh, which has been identified for decongregation under national policy.

The HSE’s decongregation plan aims to move people with disabilities from large institutional settings into smaller, community-based homes where they can

live more independently and be fully included in local community life.

The residents proposed to move into the new home are all from Carndonagh and the wider Inishowen area, with strong family and social connections locally. They will continue to receive the necessary healthcare and supports from professionals based within the local community.

It is understood that the development will allow the residents of JCM to remain living in the area where they have spent most, if not all, of their lives, while benefiting from a setting that better meets their individual needs and supports greater social integration.

Planning permission was granted subject to ten conditions. These include restricting the use of the building solely to residential accommodation for people in need of care, unless otherwise agreed by the Planning Authority. 

Other conditions require the widening of the existing entrance to six metres, the provision of a dedicated disabled parking space, and the installation of two secure cycle stands. Revised site layout plans must be agreed with the Planning Authority before occupation, and development may only commence in accordance with those agreed plans, in the interests of traffic safety.

The development must also make provision for future electric vehicle charging, with all car parking spaces fitted with the necessary electrical connections.

Measures are also required to ensure that surface water does not discharge onto the public road or from the road onto the site, in order to prevent flooding.

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Further conditions state that the existing septic tank and percolation area must be properly decommissioned under professional supervision. The community group home cannot become operational until it is connected to the public sewer to the satisfaction of Donegal County Council.