This article is from page 26 of the 2008-07-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
CLARE County Council has re- sponded to local fears that a planned housing development adjacent to the Rocky Road could cause irreparable damage to the area.
The council has refused outline planning permission to Therese Mc- Carthy for 16 homes on a site adja- cent to the Rocky Road.
A number of local residents ob- jected to the development including landowner George Gallery of Rock- mount, Ballybeg, Ennis.
In a submission lodged on his be- half by legal firm John Casey and Co, Mr Gallery expressed concern that if planning permission was granted, it would be irretrievably detrimental to the Rocky Road.
“Whilst our client objects, in prin- ciple, to the granting of planning permission for the construction of
16 houses on the site of the proposed development as he feels that the pro- posed development is out of keeping with the character and scale of exist- ing buildings in the immediate vicin- ity our client’s main concern relates to the despoiling of the Rocky Road and the irreparable damage that would be occasioned to if it is trans- formed from a predominantly pedes- trian amenity walkway into a major vehicular thoroughfare accessing the proposed development.”
The objection adds: “Our client uses the Rocky Road to access his lands and regularly brings stock and agricultural machinery and equip- ment along same in connection with his farming activities.
‘Our client, and his predecessors in title, have always enjoyed unhindered and uninterrupted use of the Rocky Road — which is on their lands — in connection with their normal farm-
ing activities.
The council has refused planning permission on a number of grounds. The local authority ruled that the proposal would be premature in rela- tion to an existing deficiency in the provision of water supply and sewage treatment.
The council stated: “In the absence of a master-plan in relation to the comprehensive servicing of lands along the Ballybeg Road, the pro- posal would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
The council found that the pro- posed development would endanger public safety by reason of a serious traffic hazard. The council also ruled that the proposal, due to its proximi- ty to and access onto the Rocky Road public right of way, would result in a negative effect on the existing amen- ity value of this route.