This article is from page 18 of the 2008-07-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
The final component of Dromoland Castle’s €30 million expansion has secured planning permission. An Bord Pleanala has dismissed an ap- peal by a local resident against a golf facility at the five star hotel.
Last year, Clare County Council granted planning permission for 32 short-rent apartments, a 38-unit ac- commodation block for staff and the provision of a golf course operations facility.
The Lynch Group had initially op- posed the luxury apartment plan, but chose not to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala. However, local resident Ken Power objected.
In his appeal, Mr Power said: “The buildings will be at least 27 feet high
and will be visible from the front of my house…the proposed building will devalue my houses and should be relocated in a different site within the Dromoland Castle which has a lower landscape sensitivity.
“The mixing of pesticides and her- bicides on a large scale for a golf course in the vicinity of households with young children is not accept- able… .”
The board ruled that “having regard to the zoning objective for the area and the pattern of development in the area, it is considered that the pro- posed development would not seri- ously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.”