Neill O'Neill
A councillor has called for consideration to be given to the decline in rural businesses over the last three decades when planning decisions are being made by the local authority. Achill-based County Councillor, Paul McNamara, delivered a withering assessment of planning practices in rural parts of west Mayo at last week’s monthly meeting of the West Mayo Municipal District in Geesala, highlighting a case in Achill where planning permission was refused for a hostel.
“We have a business in Achill that is now trading in its third generation, as a pub, shop and post office, but with the decline in rural Ireland the shop and post office are now gone. Here we have a member of the younger generation willing to put his hand in his pocket and invest in the locality, to grow a business and develop a hostel on the Wild Atlantic Way, which is prime for development. I’m not here for a boxing match with the planning department but we keep hearing there is no problem with planning, and I disagree. We are working with a major problem and the planning department and chief executive need to wake up and smell the roses.”
Senior Planner, John McMyler said he rejected criticisms of the way planning is dealt with in west Mayo, and said all areas of the county are treated the same. In reference to the case in Achill which Cllr McNamara was referring to, he said that planners had tried to work with the applicant to get the proposal over the line, but the applicant disagreed with the planners suggestions from day one.
“The planner assumes when you tell people [advice] in pre-planning, that they are listening, but they weren’t, they came back with the same thing. They were told how to go about it and a way around the issue, but they weren’t willing to listen. We are trying to save people money and give good advice in pre-planning, we have a great pre-planning service. When you come to pre-planning you might not like the advice, but you will get the situation as it exists.”
‘Serviced area’
One of the issues with the application was around the site not being a serviced area [having water and sewerage services] but Paul McNamara wasn’t prepared to accept this.
“What is a serviced area in rural Ireland?” he asked. “I’ll tell you what it is. The bar opens for the summer, the shop and post office are gone, the school is gone and the church is in danger, that is what has happened, the community are trying on their own bat to promote the Wild Atlantic Way, a young lad, a third generation of this family, putting in for planning for a hostel and we’re telling him it’s not a serviced area. I do not accept that,” he said, threatening to fill the public gallery at the next meeting with people to hear ‘what went on and what they were told in pre-planning’.
“It’s not a good story,” he warned.
No airport or church on Reek
Councillors Gerry Coyle and Michael Holmes also weighed in on the discussion, with Cllr Coyle once again completely exasperated by what is certainly the most recurring and burning issue at West Mayo Municipal District meetings.
“Planning is being refused left, right and centre, no councillor ever put their name to a development plan that is negative for their area,” said Clr Coyle, admitting he is ‘fuming’ about some refusals.
“Some proposals are not in keeping with the area [is a reason often given for refusal], look at Knock Airport, there is no airport like it, but it wouldn’t be allowed today, this is very frustrating.”
Councillor Holmes agreed.
“There are a lot of listed buildings we have that wouldn’t be allowed today, there would be no church on the Reek,” he said, adding that west Mayo is the municipal district with the highest amount of designated land in Ireland, and that many people do not end up counted among the refusal statistics, ‘as they are told not to make an application at all’.
