Appeal claims tourism accommodation will 'damage the natural beauty' of Mayo village
A planning appeal against 20 tourism accommodation apartments in Mulranny has been lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála
A planning appeal lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála claims that tourism accommodation units will damage the natural beauty of a west Mayo seaside village .
Last month Mayo County Council granted planning permission for 20 tourism apartments in Mulranny but despite local support the decision has now been appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The development proposed by Angela Grealis and Cathal Hanley involves the construction of two two and a half storey, stepped, terraced buildings comprising ten one-bedroom, ground floor tourist apartments and ten one and a half storey, two-bedroom duplex tourist apartments.
Brian Arnold of Lusk, Co Dublin lodged the appeal claiming that the development in the centre of the west Mayo village will 'damage the natural beauty' of the village. In his appeal he claimed that there was not a need for such tourism accommodation in Mulranny.
“A quick search on any booking site for tourist accommodation in Mulranny will generate multiple offers for tourist accommodation.
“At a time when the country is in the midst of a housing crisis, the current needs of the village are for social and affordable homes. The conflict between housing accommodation and the needs of tourists is constantly being aired in national and local media and it is particularly pertinent in the context of what constitutes proper planning and development for the village of Murlanny,” he stated.
Mr Arnold added that the development fails to include communal facilities for refuse and raised the question whether the original intention of the development was for residential development.
“Unlike the Mulranny Holiday Village development which includes dedicated communal refuse and community facilities, the current proposal is designed to be individual stand alone residential units which are being framed under the guise of a self catering tourism development. In this regard it is noted that the original pre-planning consultation was for a residential development.
“In this regard it is noted in the Planning Report that a dual-site residential development was not acceptable to Mayo County Council while a re-branding of a very similar development as a tourism project as a dual-site was deemed acceptable.
“It is contended as part of this appeal that the difference between the residential proposal and the tourism proposal is minor in detail and accordingly the dual-site proposal should not be considered as acceptable for the tourism proposal,” he wrote in the appeal.
The development also consists of the provision of covered cycle parking as well as 27 parking spaces, associated access ramps, landscaped plaza, pollinator planting area and ancillary site works including drainage, boundary treatments and landscaping.
A proposed development was welcomed by Paul Crawford, the manager of the Mulranny Park Hotel who stated that it was an opportunity to overcome the shortfall in tourism accommodation in the village.
Cheryl Cobern Browne of the Mulranny Arts and Cultural Centre also welcomed it saying the centre would be users of this accommodation should it become available for short term rental and the design aligns with the Mulranny Community Village Design Statement.
However, Mr Arnold questioned this saying the design of the tourism apartments represents a 'material contravention' of the Mulranny Village Design Guidelines as well as the Mayo County Development Plan.
The case is due to be decided by An Coimisiún Pleanála by mid September.