Friday 14 August 2009

County Council rejects Brides Head proposals

PLANS FOR a massive sporting development at Brides Head, including three pitches and an all-weather running track, have been dashed as Wicklow County Council rejected the proposals.

The Town Council had high hopes for the state-of-the-art facility having lodged plans with Wicklow County Council in early June. But this week the council refused the application due to concerns over its impact on the environment and the serious traffic hazard it could present. The development would have consisted of three playing fields and ancillary clubhouse facilities. The smaller of the three pitches included a perimeter all weather running track. The main pitch would be floodlit and boast a double sided stand accommodating 150 spectators on one side and 75 spectators on the other.

Car parks would have provided spaces for 180 vehicles, while the clubhouse consisted of eight changing rooms, an officials changing room, a gymnasium and weights room, a bar and function room and a multipurpose sports hall.

However, the planning department had problems with the location of the development on a prominent headland, Brides Head's landscape designation as an area of outstanding natural beauty, the impact it would have on nearby protected structures Wicklow Old Lighthouse and Old Semifore and the lack of adequate visual assessment.

According to the planning department 'It is considered that no proper assessment has been carried out of the impact of the development on the Wicklow Head proposed Natural Heritage Area and Candidate Special Protection Area, and in the absence of such information the development is likely to degrade this important environmentally sensitive area.'

The refusal report also states, 'Inadequate assessment has been submitted to show that the existing road network in the vicinity is adequate to cater for the traffic movements generated by the development, and in the absence of such information the development would represent a traffic hazard.'

Myles BUCHANAN
Wicklow People

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