Proposal for new development on Buncrana car park refused planning permission

A proposal to construct a new development on a car park adjacent to an existing building in Buncrana has been denied planning permission.

Clare O'Donnell had sought to construct a retail premises and a two-story apartment but the application has been refused after the owner of the neighbouring property did not consent to their gable window being covered up.

The proposed development would have been located just off Buncrana Main Street on the Westend beside Westend Dental Surgery.

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An objection was submitted from resident Ann Rebecca (Ruby) McDowell, who felt the application would increase vehicle parking in the vicinity, which is “already overcrowded and under-facilitated”.

She further added that it could cause severe access and privacy issues as the development would be built on a car park and it could “simultaneously reduce the area for parking while also increasing the need for car parking”.

Another objection was submitted from Maeve Mulholland, who owns the dentist adjacent to the proposed building. T

he surgery has a window on the gable wall, which has been in place for over 30 years and the orthodontist was concerned with how “blocking up of this window will interfere with the dental practice's day-to-day operations, as well as interfere with the long-established rights to light of the property”.

Another concern for Ms Mulholland was the restriction on deliveries, as currently, deliveries and removal of medical waste are done through the rear of the property. She noted that this would be unlikely to continue as it would “make it physically impossible for vans and small lorries to navigate the turn to the rear of the property”.

“Consequently, we will be unable to accept oil or deliveries of supplies. More significant would be the inability to dispose of medical waste via a discrete rear access point, forcing us to move the collection of medical waste through the dental surgery and out through the front door. This would be problematic to us in terms of hygiene and acceptable medical best practices.”

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As part of the chief fire officer’s report by Joseph McTaggart, it was stated that there was an inadequate means of escape from the top floor of the proposed apartment.

The planning authority outlined how planning has been refused as the gable window on the existing end terrace would be blocked should the development be constructed. Consent would therefore be required from the adjoining landowner and assurance that the removal of this window would not impact the dental surgery.

However, it was noted that an objection has been received from the owner of the dental surgery, which mentions the potential loss of the window and impact on the workings of the practice. Therefore, consent has been denied and permission refused.

“Having regard to the fact that consent has been explicitly denied to allow the existing third party gable window to be blocked up, the Planning Authority is not satisfied on the basis of the information submitted that the applicant has sufficient legal interest to carry out works which are essential for the development to proceed,” added the council’s planning section.