This article is from page 14 of the 2008-08-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
liday homes.
Earlier this year, in the face of op- position from local nuns and resi- dents, Clare County Council granted planning permission to Brendan O’Doherty, Patrick Montgomery, Paul Montgomery, and John MclIner-
ney for 96 homes in the village.
However, in common with other planning permissions the council has issued for multiple housing devel- opments along Clare’s coastline in recent years, the planning authority stated that all the homes should be used as permanent dwellings.
The four appealed the decision ar- suing to An Bord Pleanala that new homes being limited to permanent occupation only “will undermine the principal economic activity” of the resort.
The four argued that the council
acted outside its powers in demand- ing that the homes be used for per- manent occupancy only, contending that at no stage did they enter an agreement with the council concern- ing the occupancy of the dwellings. The developers point out that the identified permanent housing need within Lahinch is 20 new dwellings. They state, “The scheme as per- mitted by the council provides 96 homes. Allocation of 20 per cent of the units for social and affordable housing equates to 24 units, which is four units in excess of the identified
need for permanent dwellings up to pA ae
The developers claim that the lim1- tation of the use of the dwellings for permanent use only is “unsustain- able”’.
The appeal states, “The identified local need for principal places of residence has therefore been accom- modated in full by this development without any need for the imposition of a condition restricting the occupa- tion of the overall housing develop- Tees ne
However, in spite of the strong ar-
guments made, the developers have withdrawn their appeal to An Bord Pleanala and this may be influenced by a recent decision where another developer appealed the permanent occupancy clause and came very close to having the entire develop- ment thrown out.
In relation to the Patricia Stack- epoole appeal, the inspector recom- mended that planning permission be refused for the entire development and it was only granted after the An Bord Pleanala over-ruled the inspec- tor’s recommendation.