Mr John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, today (10 November 08) confirmed that officials from his Department have written to Donegal County Council outlining concerns about specific changes to the Donegal County Development Plan 2006-2012, adopted on 29 September 2008 by way of variation to the Plan under Section 13 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
In particular, the Minister is concerned about the inclusion of a “small builders policy” in the variation whereby the Council will facilitate local builders who are registered with the Council under this measure to build two one-off houses per annum.
Speaking yesterday, the Minister said that such a policy ran against proper planning practice.
“It is my view that this policy runs contrary to proper planning and sustainable development, given that it has the potential to be development-led and not plan-led, this goes against statutory guidance for planning authorities as set out in the Department’s Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines (2005) and Development Plan Guidelines (2007),” Minister Gormley said.
“Good planning should have at its core the objective of serving the best interests of the members of the community. The people of Donegal are at the centre of my concerns and that of the officials in my Department. I am not convinced that this small builders policy will serve the best interests of the community. Accordingly I have asked the local authority to clarify certain matters for me,” said Minister Gormley.
The Department’s letter to Donegal Council has sought additional information on how the policy will operate in order to make a fully informed assessment on its impact.
The information sought includes the number of builders proposed to be involved, the criteria for becoming registered on the list, and the safeguards to ensure the system complies with current ethics laws and guidelines.
The letter has also raised concerns about the potential of legal challenges that could arise whether in relation to individual planning applications or from those excluded from the register, bearing in mind the principles laid down in the EC Treaty regarding open access to markets and freedom of establishment.
The Department has strongly advised the Council to seek legal advice as to whether or not the policy as adopted is well-founded, proportionate and robust to potential legal challenge.
“ If the local authority are concerned with boosting economic development in Donegal, they should consider other more appropriate ways to do this, for example, through the introduction of measures to release lands, publicly and privately owned, in various towns and villages throughout the county for development, “ continued Minister Gormley.
“I hope that the members of Donegal County Council will deal with this matter in a constructive and considered manner,” concluded Minster Gormley, “and I await the Council’s response to my Department’s queries.”
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label county development plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label county development plan. Show all posts
Monday, 10 November 2008
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Council to fight Gormley rejection of plan
MEMBERS OF Mayo County Council are prepared to take legal action to prevent Minister for the Environment John Gormley from dismantling their new county development plan.
The Minister is unhappy with the council’s decision to ignore the advice of his department by allowing greater flexibility for single-house developments in rural communities deemed to be under urban influence.
The Fine Gael whip on the authority, Cllr Paddy McGuinness, described the Minister’s intervention as very frustrating as he declined requests to meet the elected members during the consultation process this year.
“I felt a great sense of satisfaction when the new plan was adopted in May because I knew it was very significant in addressing problems being experienced in our rural communities.
“Now I feel my homework has been thrown back at me by an authoritative teacher. Since that happened in July all the positivity has been replaced by negativity.
“We worked very hard to get it right and now we are involved in time-consuming and morale-destroying work in fighting his intervention which, in my view, is so unnecessary.”
Cllr Al McDonnell, the chairman of the Fianna Fáil party on the council, said the members of the council would never accept a Cromwellian-type policy of driving, in herd-like fashion, rural people into urbanised surroundings against their will and against their better judgment and welfare. He said the development plan took full note of housing guidelines circulated to local authorities in 2005. These were based on the original National Spatial Strategy of 2001.
“So that there would be no misunderstanding, no misrepresentations of what we intended in our plan, we decided to include in verbatim form Chapter One of the sustainable housing guidelines of 2005. It is, therefore, quite extraordinary that the Minister has decided in his directive issued on July 11th to delete his own department’s statutory guidelines from our current plan.”
“The more we research this extraordinary directive, the more convinced we are that the Minister has not read our plan nor does he know anything about our county. If he is fortunate enough to be totally dependent on his officials, then he needs to take a close look at them as well.”
Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray said the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil parties on the council were playing Russian roulette with planning in the county.
“My constituents have been the ones affected most by the situation. It behoves us all to work together and find a resolution.”
Mayo County Council has been invited to send a four-strong delegation to the next meeting of the Oireachtas Committee for the Environment to outline their dispute with Mr Gormley.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Minister is unhappy with the council’s decision to ignore the advice of his department by allowing greater flexibility for single-house developments in rural communities deemed to be under urban influence.
The Fine Gael whip on the authority, Cllr Paddy McGuinness, described the Minister’s intervention as very frustrating as he declined requests to meet the elected members during the consultation process this year.
“I felt a great sense of satisfaction when the new plan was adopted in May because I knew it was very significant in addressing problems being experienced in our rural communities.
“Now I feel my homework has been thrown back at me by an authoritative teacher. Since that happened in July all the positivity has been replaced by negativity.
“We worked very hard to get it right and now we are involved in time-consuming and morale-destroying work in fighting his intervention which, in my view, is so unnecessary.”
Cllr Al McDonnell, the chairman of the Fianna Fáil party on the council, said the members of the council would never accept a Cromwellian-type policy of driving, in herd-like fashion, rural people into urbanised surroundings against their will and against their better judgment and welfare. He said the development plan took full note of housing guidelines circulated to local authorities in 2005. These were based on the original National Spatial Strategy of 2001.
“So that there would be no misunderstanding, no misrepresentations of what we intended in our plan, we decided to include in verbatim form Chapter One of the sustainable housing guidelines of 2005. It is, therefore, quite extraordinary that the Minister has decided in his directive issued on July 11th to delete his own department’s statutory guidelines from our current plan.”
“The more we research this extraordinary directive, the more convinced we are that the Minister has not read our plan nor does he know anything about our county. If he is fortunate enough to be totally dependent on his officials, then he needs to take a close look at them as well.”
Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray said the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil parties on the council were playing Russian roulette with planning in the county.
“My constituents have been the ones affected most by the situation. It behoves us all to work together and find a resolution.”
Mayo County Council has been invited to send a four-strong delegation to the next meeting of the Oireachtas Committee for the Environment to outline their dispute with Mr Gormley.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Dublin council considers ban on residential development
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in Dublin is considering banning residential development on almost 3,000 acres of land in the borough.
The council is seeking written submissions on its proposal, to vary the county’s development plan by excluding residential development from 1,203 hectares of land with the zoning ‘objective F’. Land is zoned objective F to preserve open space, but the development of community and recreational facilities, such as sports clubs, is permitted in principle.
Other options open for consideration have included applications for residential developments. If the proposed amendment is approved, the council will no longer accept planning applications for houses and apartments on lands which are zoned objective F.
The proposed change follows a High Court ruling in March, overturning a council decision to preserve 4.5 acres of unused playing fields next to the Presentation Brothers’ former secondary school in Glasthule. The order wanted to sell the lands to pay for the upkeep of its schools in Ireland and Africa, and for the care of retired brothers.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the council had treated the brothers in a ‘‘high-handed and extremely shabby’’ fashion.
Within hours of a ‘‘well-known property developer’’ meeting the county manager last June to discuss possible development of the lands, the manager began a process to vary the development plan, to ensure the continued use of the lands as playing fields. The brothers were not informed.
The order claimed the council decision had effectively sterilised the lands, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council conceded that its decision last October was unlawful.
A development surveyor told The Sunday Business Post that the proposed variation of the development plan was unlikely to affect the value of residential land in the area, but it would remove the ‘‘hope value’’ of land zoned objective F, reducing its value by around 20 per cent.
A spokesman for the council said: ‘‘Residential density is driven by proximity to planned or existing public transport and the government’s own residential guidelines.” He said that councillors had voted in favour of the variation.
Written submissions must be received by the council’s economic development and planning department before June 16.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
The council is seeking written submissions on its proposal, to vary the county’s development plan by excluding residential development from 1,203 hectares of land with the zoning ‘objective F’. Land is zoned objective F to preserve open space, but the development of community and recreational facilities, such as sports clubs, is permitted in principle.
Other options open for consideration have included applications for residential developments. If the proposed amendment is approved, the council will no longer accept planning applications for houses and apartments on lands which are zoned objective F.
The proposed change follows a High Court ruling in March, overturning a council decision to preserve 4.5 acres of unused playing fields next to the Presentation Brothers’ former secondary school in Glasthule. The order wanted to sell the lands to pay for the upkeep of its schools in Ireland and Africa, and for the care of retired brothers.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the council had treated the brothers in a ‘‘high-handed and extremely shabby’’ fashion.
Within hours of a ‘‘well-known property developer’’ meeting the county manager last June to discuss possible development of the lands, the manager began a process to vary the development plan, to ensure the continued use of the lands as playing fields. The brothers were not informed.
The order claimed the council decision had effectively sterilised the lands, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council conceded that its decision last October was unlawful.
A development surveyor told The Sunday Business Post that the proposed variation of the development plan was unlikely to affect the value of residential land in the area, but it would remove the ‘‘hope value’’ of land zoned objective F, reducing its value by around 20 per cent.
A spokesman for the council said: ‘‘Residential density is driven by proximity to planned or existing public transport and the government’s own residential guidelines.” He said that councillors had voted in favour of the variation.
Written submissions must be received by the council’s economic development and planning department before June 16.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Kerry councillors warned over site 'availability'
THE CHILDREN of landowners were coming into planners presenting unsuitable sites as "the only site available" to them from their parents, Kerry county manager Tom Curran said yesterday. This was quite unfair as it "put the gun" to planners' heads when other sites were available, he said.
Mr Curran appealed to councillors not to be unduly influenced by individual cases, but to look instead at the overall strategy for proper planning in the new county development plan. The capacity of the landscape had to be allowed to determine the number of houses allowed, and the same density could not be allowed in areas of prime special amenity as in other areas.
He said families who were giving children sites could be much more flexible in the choice of site offered. "If there was more flexibility from a family point of view, maybe some of the problems you are encountering as councillors could be resolved."
Mr Curran said that in one year alone, 2007, the council had granted permission for 3,968 units. This was enough to accommodate 9,920 people. In other words, Kerry County Council had granted enough planning permission in one year to accommodate 14 times the population increase in the census period 2002 to 2006.
He was responding to conflicting reports from councillors in advance of the new six-year plan, he told a special planning meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Johnny O'Connor said housing on the Ring of Kerry would not be a problem if landscaping and screening plans were set down and implemented.
Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris said in the coming years "no-body would get permission" in north Kerry. The difficulties being encountered were because of directives from the EU.
Labour councillor Pat Leahy from the Listowel electoral area said there had been a huge improvement in obtaining planning for farmers and others who owned land. But "the major problem now is for people who don't own land". Town dwellers who wished to move to the countryside were being refused planning on sites they had bought, he said.
Some councillors highlighted what they said was lack of consistency among planners. Cllr Norma Foley (FF) said "not all planners sing off the same hymn sheet" and guidelines for applicants should be more specific.
The draft plan will go on public display next month.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Mr Curran appealed to councillors not to be unduly influenced by individual cases, but to look instead at the overall strategy for proper planning in the new county development plan. The capacity of the landscape had to be allowed to determine the number of houses allowed, and the same density could not be allowed in areas of prime special amenity as in other areas.
He said families who were giving children sites could be much more flexible in the choice of site offered. "If there was more flexibility from a family point of view, maybe some of the problems you are encountering as councillors could be resolved."
Mr Curran said that in one year alone, 2007, the council had granted permission for 3,968 units. This was enough to accommodate 9,920 people. In other words, Kerry County Council had granted enough planning permission in one year to accommodate 14 times the population increase in the census period 2002 to 2006.
He was responding to conflicting reports from councillors in advance of the new six-year plan, he told a special planning meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Johnny O'Connor said housing on the Ring of Kerry would not be a problem if landscaping and screening plans were set down and implemented.
Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris said in the coming years "no-body would get permission" in north Kerry. The difficulties being encountered were because of directives from the EU.
Labour councillor Pat Leahy from the Listowel electoral area said there had been a huge improvement in obtaining planning for farmers and others who owned land. But "the major problem now is for people who don't own land". Town dwellers who wished to move to the countryside were being refused planning on sites they had bought, he said.
Some councillors highlighted what they said was lack of consistency among planners. Cllr Norma Foley (FF) said "not all planners sing off the same hymn sheet" and guidelines for applicants should be more specific.
The draft plan will go on public display next month.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Gormley wants 'fruitful' talks on Mayo plan
A POSSIBLE standoff between the Environment Minister and Mayo councillors could be averted. Minister John Gormley has said he is not likely to impose a veto on planning proposals contained in the redrafted County Development Plan.
County councillors have proposed a series of bold new measures designed to revitalise rural Mayo, by easing restrictions on oneoff housing in the countryside. The plan risks going against a number of government policies, including the National Spatial Strategy. Minister Gormley has already made a comprehensive submission on the document and anticipates a debate with Mayo County Council.
"I would only come in as a last resort. I would hope we can have a fruitful dialogue, that we can look at the issues and have a comprehensive analysis of what is required." Speaking to the Western People on a visit to Ballina, Minister Gormley admitted that elements of the draft plan were a cause of concern, particularly the size of provision made for residential development.
"I think we have to look at some of the issues in a bit of detail, especially when you look at the population density that will be required when this is redrafted. It's six times what is actually required. So that needs to be looked at."
Minister Gormley said he respected the rights of local councillors to make decisions on forward planning in their areas.
"If anything, I want to enhance local government. But, we need to ensure that planning decisions are made in the interests of the community, the country and that they're in line with the regional planning guidelines, in line with the National Spatial Strategy. Those are the priority concerns for my department and that's why they made the submission."
"We need to listen to local concerns and councillors are very well placed. So I'm hoping that we can get a compromise that will be in the interests of Mayo."
The minister also defended some of the restrictions imposed by Europe on agriculture and rural planning, pointing out that Ireland faced major penalties for failing to comply with them.
"We have to take all of these matters into consideration. We are facing substantial fines from Europe unless we can get our act together in terms of SAC and SPA designations. Habitats and species is top of the list as far as Europe is concerned. We have to act and act promptly. We also need to get the balance right, so that people can continue to live and work in rural areas. I think we are trying to get the balance right. Council-lors and all local representatives need to understand that."
Fiona McGarry
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
County councillors have proposed a series of bold new measures designed to revitalise rural Mayo, by easing restrictions on oneoff housing in the countryside. The plan risks going against a number of government policies, including the National Spatial Strategy. Minister Gormley has already made a comprehensive submission on the document and anticipates a debate with Mayo County Council.
"I would only come in as a last resort. I would hope we can have a fruitful dialogue, that we can look at the issues and have a comprehensive analysis of what is required." Speaking to the Western People on a visit to Ballina, Minister Gormley admitted that elements of the draft plan were a cause of concern, particularly the size of provision made for residential development.
"I think we have to look at some of the issues in a bit of detail, especially when you look at the population density that will be required when this is redrafted. It's six times what is actually required. So that needs to be looked at."
Minister Gormley said he respected the rights of local councillors to make decisions on forward planning in their areas.
"If anything, I want to enhance local government. But, we need to ensure that planning decisions are made in the interests of the community, the country and that they're in line with the regional planning guidelines, in line with the National Spatial Strategy. Those are the priority concerns for my department and that's why they made the submission."
"We need to listen to local concerns and councillors are very well placed. So I'm hoping that we can get a compromise that will be in the interests of Mayo."
The minister also defended some of the restrictions imposed by Europe on agriculture and rural planning, pointing out that Ireland faced major penalties for failing to comply with them.
"We have to take all of these matters into consideration. We are facing substantial fines from Europe unless we can get our act together in terms of SAC and SPA designations. Habitats and species is top of the list as far as Europe is concerned. We have to act and act promptly. We also need to get the balance right, so that people can continue to live and work in rural areas. I think we are trying to get the balance right. Council-lors and all local representatives need to understand that."
Fiona McGarry
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Call to halt rezoning in Dún Laoghaire area
SENIOR PLANNERS in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown have urged councillors not to rezone any more land in the county until after 2019, a move likely to be unpopular among developers, landowners and those seeking to buy houses in the area.
However, planners say there is no need for new rezoning and that enough land has already been earmarked for development to cope with the sustainable development of the county and provide sufficient housing for the next decade and beyond. The planners' advice comes four years after former minister for the environment Martin Cullen ordered the council to rezone additional land for housing because it had failed to satisfy the council's own housing strategy and regional planning guidelines.
Councillors are shortly to conduct an interim review of the County Development Plan 2004-2010. In most local authorities, when the development plan is reviewed, councillors seek additional rezoning. However, advising councillors ahead of the review, planners have said that enough land was zoned, not only to meet housing demand for the remainder of the current development plan, but for the next development plan from 2010-2016 and for three years beyond.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the lowest population increase of any county between the census years 2002-2006 with just 2,246 additional people recorded as living in the area. The county also has an ageing population. The council's planners said that Dún Laoghaire's compact size and affluence means it is unlikely to suffer through decline in population in same way as a rural area.
The 2006 census showed population growth was not keeping pace with the construction of housing, which the planners said meant that housing units were constructed and were being left vacant. The regional planning guidelines state Dún Laoghaire should have just fewer than 35,000 new houses by 2016. The planners say that this may not be possible because of the slowdown in the housing market - however, they told councillors there is more than sufficient zoned land to accommodate these numbers.
Until now, the council has used a housing density figure of 49 units per hectare. This is based on average figures of housing per hectare in 2001 and 2002 and underestimates higher-density developments.
Planners state a figure of 79 units per hectare is more realistic. Currently there are about 657 hectares of zoned land in the county - if the new figure is applied, there is the potential for 45,935 units to be accommodated on available land.
A substantial amount of this land is located in Cherrywood and Sandyford. The planners estimate that Cherrywood could accommodate an additional 10,000 units, while an extra 7,000 homes could be built in Sandyford. The planners also said there are large tracts of undeveloped zoned land in Kiltiernan/Glenamuck, Old Conna, Shanganagh and on Dún Laoghaire golf course.
Councillors are likely to be well-disposed to the planners' advice, having resisted large-scale rezoning in 2004. Fianna Fáil councillor Barry Conway said it was vital to be conscious of the dangers of over-development. "The planners' . . . research . . . enables accurate planning decisions to be made by myself and other public representatives."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
However, planners say there is no need for new rezoning and that enough land has already been earmarked for development to cope with the sustainable development of the county and provide sufficient housing for the next decade and beyond. The planners' advice comes four years after former minister for the environment Martin Cullen ordered the council to rezone additional land for housing because it had failed to satisfy the council's own housing strategy and regional planning guidelines.
Councillors are shortly to conduct an interim review of the County Development Plan 2004-2010. In most local authorities, when the development plan is reviewed, councillors seek additional rezoning. However, advising councillors ahead of the review, planners have said that enough land was zoned, not only to meet housing demand for the remainder of the current development plan, but for the next development plan from 2010-2016 and for three years beyond.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the lowest population increase of any county between the census years 2002-2006 with just 2,246 additional people recorded as living in the area. The county also has an ageing population. The council's planners said that Dún Laoghaire's compact size and affluence means it is unlikely to suffer through decline in population in same way as a rural area.
The 2006 census showed population growth was not keeping pace with the construction of housing, which the planners said meant that housing units were constructed and were being left vacant. The regional planning guidelines state Dún Laoghaire should have just fewer than 35,000 new houses by 2016. The planners say that this may not be possible because of the slowdown in the housing market - however, they told councillors there is more than sufficient zoned land to accommodate these numbers.
Until now, the council has used a housing density figure of 49 units per hectare. This is based on average figures of housing per hectare in 2001 and 2002 and underestimates higher-density developments.
Planners state a figure of 79 units per hectare is more realistic. Currently there are about 657 hectares of zoned land in the county - if the new figure is applied, there is the potential for 45,935 units to be accommodated on available land.
A substantial amount of this land is located in Cherrywood and Sandyford. The planners estimate that Cherrywood could accommodate an additional 10,000 units, while an extra 7,000 homes could be built in Sandyford. The planners also said there are large tracts of undeveloped zoned land in Kiltiernan/Glenamuck, Old Conna, Shanganagh and on Dún Laoghaire golf course.
Councillors are likely to be well-disposed to the planners' advice, having resisted large-scale rezoning in 2004. Fianna Fáil councillor Barry Conway said it was vital to be conscious of the dangers of over-development. "The planners' . . . research . . . enables accurate planning decisions to be made by myself and other public representatives."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Cllrs' anger as developers ignore planning guidelines
Rules carefully laid down in Fingal's County Development Plan are not being followed when planning permissions are granted according to frustrated councillors who want planners to stick to the guidelines.
Rules on heights and densities of developments around the county were thrashed out in the council chamber when the County Development Plan was formulated in 2005.
But a number of councillors have expressed frustration that those rules are being ignored in certain developments around the county and developers are getting away with it.
Cllr Joan Maher (FG) raised the issue at last week's full council meeting and insisted that the council ensure that the County Development Plan is implemented in full when dealing with planning application.
The Fine Gael councillor's motion found support from Cllr David Healy (GP) who told the meeting that he expected the 'clear and simple' limits set down in the County Development Plan to be followed.
Cllr Anne Devitt (FG) said that a lot of work had gone into the County Development Plan and words were very carefully chosen. She said it was 'very frustrating' when planners took a different interpretation of the rules.
The council's Planning Department said that height and density restrictions are judged on a case-by-case basis and the requirements of the County Development Plan as well as government guidelines from the Department of the Environment were taken into account in considering each application.
County Manager, David O'Connor said he was sympathetic to the councillors' concerns and said the matter needed to be discussed in greater detail between the councillors and county planners.
John Manning
Fingal Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Rules on heights and densities of developments around the county were thrashed out in the council chamber when the County Development Plan was formulated in 2005.
But a number of councillors have expressed frustration that those rules are being ignored in certain developments around the county and developers are getting away with it.
Cllr Joan Maher (FG) raised the issue at last week's full council meeting and insisted that the council ensure that the County Development Plan is implemented in full when dealing with planning application.
The Fine Gael councillor's motion found support from Cllr David Healy (GP) who told the meeting that he expected the 'clear and simple' limits set down in the County Development Plan to be followed.
Cllr Anne Devitt (FG) said that a lot of work had gone into the County Development Plan and words were very carefully chosen. She said it was 'very frustrating' when planners took a different interpretation of the rules.
The council's Planning Department said that height and density restrictions are judged on a case-by-case basis and the requirements of the County Development Plan as well as government guidelines from the Department of the Environment were taken into account in considering each application.
County Manager, David O'Connor said he was sympathetic to the councillors' concerns and said the matter needed to be discussed in greater detail between the councillors and county planners.
John Manning
Fingal Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Redevelopment of former convent gets green light
A MULTI-million conversion of a former convent to include a 155-seat underground cinema and conference centres, offices, shops, creche, community centre and 52 apartments is set to proceed following a vote taken by Cork county councillors yesterday.
Councillors voted unanimously to a Material Contravention of the County Development Plan (2003) to allow Irish & European Properties Ltd to redevelop the former Presentation Convent in Mitchelstown.
Prior to the vote they read an in-depth report issued by senior planner, Bob Gunkel, who said that in his opinion the project would provide the town with “a modern social, cultural and entertainment centre”.
Mr Gunkel added that the developers would retain the finest features of the building. Only one submission was received by the council with regard to the development and director of planning, John O’Neill, pointed out that it wasn’t actually an objection.
Cllr Liam O’Doherty (FG), who proposed the contravention, declared it as a win-win situation for Mitchelstown. “We’re getting facilities we never had in Mitchelstown before. It’s great to see somebody coming in from outside and developing this building.”
Cllr Deirdre Forde, a former pupil at the convent, said her one concern was that a lot of planning permissions had been granted in the town during the past few years which hadn’t yet reached construction.
Irish Examiner
Councillors voted unanimously to a Material Contravention of the County Development Plan (2003) to allow Irish & European Properties Ltd to redevelop the former Presentation Convent in Mitchelstown.
Prior to the vote they read an in-depth report issued by senior planner, Bob Gunkel, who said that in his opinion the project would provide the town with “a modern social, cultural and entertainment centre”.
Mr Gunkel added that the developers would retain the finest features of the building. Only one submission was received by the council with regard to the development and director of planning, John O’Neill, pointed out that it wasn’t actually an objection.
Cllr Liam O’Doherty (FG), who proposed the contravention, declared it as a win-win situation for Mitchelstown. “We’re getting facilities we never had in Mitchelstown before. It’s great to see somebody coming in from outside and developing this building.”
Cllr Deirdre Forde, a former pupil at the convent, said her one concern was that a lot of planning permissions had been granted in the town during the past few years which hadn’t yet reached construction.
Irish Examiner
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