NRA appeal planning decision by senior official

NRA appeal senior council official’s planning decision


Anton McNulty

THE National Roads Authority have appealed against planning permission for a dwelling house for a young couple near Ballyhaunis which was granted planning permission by Mayo County Council despite their planners recommending refusal.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) have appealed to An Bord PleanΡla against permission for the building of a house adjoining the N83 at Grallagh, Ballyhaunis by James Walsh and Michelle Conlon.
The application was granted planning permission by Mayo County Council on July 17, 2014 by Director of Services, Paddy Mahon who overruled his planners original recommendation for refusal.
In a handwritten note, he judged that the development would not present a traffic hazard to road users.
“Having examined the file and the site of the proposed development I am satisfied that, given the location of the proposed development and the lower traffic volume on the N83, the proposal will not significantly reduce the capacity of the N83 and will not present a traffic hazard to road users. I am therefore directing that permission be granted,” Mr Mahon said.
The NRA noted the Director of Services opinion in their appeal and the fact the Council’s planning section and road section had recommended refusal.

Direct access
The NRA claim in their appeal that because the development is facilitated by a direct access to the N83, they consider the development to be at variance with the official policy of Mayo County Council to ‘preserve the level of service and carrying capacity of national roads’.
The N83 runs from the N17 just south of Knock Airport for 45km towards Tuam where it rejoins the N17. The NRA stated that annual average daily traffic for the road is between 3,000 to 4,000 movements.
The application for the dwelling house was made by James Walsh and Michelle Conlon who are currently engaged.
In their original application, they proposed to open up a new access onto the N83 but later altered their plans to use the existing access which leads to Mr Walsh’s parents’ home.
The National Roads Design Office of Mayo County Council had recommended refusal for the application because the access to the N83 would interfere with the safety and free flow of traffic.
In the planners’ report of April 4, 2014, the application was recommended for refusal because access onto the N83 would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard due to the movement of extra traffic generated.
An Bord PleanΡla are due to make their decision by December 15 next.