This article is from page 12 of the 2006-10-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
CLARE County Council’s Director for Planning, Bernadette Kinsella has said she is satisfied that the decision to grant planning for a home near Lemanagh Castle “was made in a fair and transparent manner”.
The Council has come under fire from An Taisce following An Bord Pleanala’s overturning of planning to Anna Maria Murphy for a home at Lemanagh Castle.
The recommendations of the area planner and the council’s conservation officer to refuse permission were disregarded by Senior Executive Planner, Brian McCarthy after he visited the site at the request of Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) and discussed the application with Senior Planner, Liam Conneally.
Ms Kinsella said that the decision was in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Acts and the Clare County Development Plan.
“In relation to the inspector’s query as to how the reasons for refusal in previous applications have been resolved, it should be noted that this application is on a different site, and is located further from the castle than the previous applications,” she said.
“The council notes that the inspector did not agree that the refusal reasons of public health, scenic amenity or ribbon development attached to the previous applications were relevant in this application.
“It is also noted that the inspector in his planning report on the visual assessment stated that ‘the design and layout of the dwelling is acceptable and will not interfere with, or impact upon, the character, integrity and uniformity of the landscape’.
“The council in making its decision had regard to the 2005 Government Guidelines on ‘Sustainable Rural House Guidelines’ which came into effect in April 2005 and which seek to accommodate persons who are intrinsic members of the local community. In this respect, the planning authority was satisfied that the applicant met the requirements as a local rural worker. An Bord Pleanala has taken a more stringent view on persons qualifying as intrinsic members of the local community. The planning authority notes the precedent set in this regard.
“The council is satisfied that a number of reasons for refusal on previous applications have actually been resolved, contrary to the inspector’s suggestion, and that the circumstances in this case have materially changed thus warranting a fresh assessment. All files relating to decisions made by the planning authority are available for public viewing as are the grounds and reasons upon which the council makes its decision,” she said.