Bangor Barracks community-centre plans dashed

Bangor Barracks community-centre plans dashed


Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie

Plans to convert the old Garda Barracks in Bangor into a community centre have been dashed after An Bord PleanΡla (ABP) refused planning permission for the project.
An tSean Bheairic Beannchor Iorrais Teoranta had sought planning permission to refurbish and extend the former garda barracks, known also as Bingham Lodge, into a community centre.
The project was approved by Mayo County Council but was appealed to ABP by Bernard Doran of Shragraddy, Bangor Erris, who claims that because the proposed development would be located just 7.5 metres from his private dwelling, his property would become ‘almost uninhabitable’.
The planning-authority inspected the application, and although they found that the development is acceptable and would be ‘hugely beneficial’, it was recommended for refusal on the grounds that the “lack of separation between the existing structure and the adjoining dwelling means that the provision of the main access to the community centre on the western elevation would be injurious to residential amenity through general disturbance and loss of privacy.”
The board of ABP decided to accept the inspector’s recommendation by a majority of two to one.
The two-storey building, which is adjacent to the current garda station, was formally owned by the OPW before it was transferred to An tSean Bheairic Beannchor Iorrais Teo. The proposed development included the use of the building as a community centre with an entrance foyer, tea room, day room, community information room, drama and music room and a tourism office.
In his appeal to ABP, Mr Doran stated his concern over the close proximity of the proposed community centre to his dwelling and the fear of loitering and anti-social behaviour. He also noted the lack of parking at the centre and felt this would result in parking along the length of the road leading up to the site causing obstruction to other road users.
Mr Doran has a right of way through the courtyard and stated that the landscaping proposals for this area would obstruct vehicular access to the existing sheds and dwelling.
In response, Mayo County Council said the location of the entrance would mitigate against the potential for any loitering or anti-social behaviour. While acknowledging the lack of on-site car parking, they felt the issue should be considered in conjunction with the proposed development within the village and the benefit of the proposed development to the wider community.
Inspector Colin McBride stated that he considered the principle of the proposed development to be acceptable and would be a positive planning gain. He was also satisfied with the design and scale of the proposed extension and would be hugely positive for the building.
However, in relation to the residential amenity, he felt the development would seriously injure the residential amenities of the existing property through the disturbance likely to be caused. He also found the level of car parking proposed to be inadequate and said it could lead to haphazard parking at this location. On those two ground, he recommended that the development be refused.

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