Major Bundoran housing development turned down by An Bord Pleanála

Planning permission has been refused for a 73-house development in Bundoran.

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for the proposed development at Church Road, Magheracar, Bundoran.

Last July Donegal County Council granted conditional planning permission for the development, sought by McHenry Asset Holdings Limited.

However, the planning authority has now upheld an appeal lodged by local resident Mark Picken against the development.

Mr Picken, in an appeal submitted in late July, argued that the application was initially invalid as the applicant had applied for development on lands that were not within the applicant’s control.

Subsequently, the applicant submitted new drawings with a different site boundary.

Mr Picken pointed out some knock-on effects to an amended proposal. He said the site entrance would be ‘more difficult for vehicular traffic to find as it is practically sandwiched between my dwelling and the proposed dwelling on site no. 9’.

“There is an issue with speeding along this section of road and residents have had to erect their own signage,” he wrote.

An issue over a lane-way adjacent to Mr Picken’s house was raised with the objector saying half of the lane-way could now be left ‘as a kind of no mans land with no clear proposal for how that is to be finished’.

While Mr Picken suggested some amendments, the matter was discussed by An Bord Pleanála at a meeting on May 23 and planning permission has been refused

“Having regard to the layout, design and density of the proposed development including the substandard configuration and disposition of the public open space, the internal road layout and alignment and configuration of proposed residential units results in a poor-quality layout and design concept,” they said in their decision.

This, the planning authority said, was contrary to the County Donegal Development Plan and would therefore “be contrary to the proper planning and substantial development of the area”.

An Bord Pleanála also highlight that a part of the subject site is zoned for recreational/leisure uses and additionally provides for a proposed road alignment to the north of the appeal site.

It was not satisfied that 'appropriate strategic consideration' is provided in respect of how the development of subject lands would integrate with a proposed road alignment.