Farmer refused planning for fence as it will affect views

Farmer refused permission for fence as it will affect views


Anton McNulty

A LEENANE farmer has expressed his surprise that a planning application to erect a fence to prevent overgrazing of the surrounding commonage has been refused on the grounds the fence will affect the view of the area.
Mayo County Council refused planning permission for Michael Wade of Delphi Lodge, Leenane to erect a 1.1 metre high agricultural fence with sheep wire along the southern slopes of Glenummera Mountain at Glenummera, Kilgeever, on the Louisburgh to Leenane Road.
Mr Wade had proposed to fence an area of 350 hectares of land immediately to the rear of Doolough House up the mountain slope for a distance of approximately 580m. The proposed fence is within the Mweelrea/Sheefrey/Erriff Complex SAC and environmental reports had to be submitted as part of the planning process.
An observation was submitted by Peter Sweetman on behalf of Keep Ireland Open who stated that ‘this development is capable of having an effect on the SAC’.
In the planner’s report, it stated that the Screening Report conclude that the works are unlikely to have an significant detrimental environmental impacts on the SAC and the Environmental Section of the Council and recommended that permission be granted.
However, Mr Brendan Munnelly, Executive Planner stated that the setting of the proposed works is one of the ‘most visually dramatic and sensitive locations within the entire county and the beauty and uniqueness of the location is in no small part down to the rugged, open and un-spoilt nature of the landscape’.
While he acknowledged there were existing fencing in the general vicinity, he noted this was mainly at lower levels parallel to the public road. He felt the fence would ‘significantly and detrimentally impact on open character of the landscape’ and interfere with a view and prospect deemed worthy of preservation in the Mayo County Development Plan. As a  result the application was refused.
Mr Wade appealed the decision to An Bord PleanΡla and in his submission submitted by David Lally, Chartered Engineer he expressed surprise at the Council’s decision to refuse permission. He stated he always put the environment first when farming but was now prevented from carrying out farming as without fencing his animals will wander on to the road and surrounding lands.
Mr Lally stated that his client feels that in the interest of the SAC he is allowed to fence this area as at present it is ‘severely overgrazed’ as it is unfenced to a large area of commonage.
An Bord PleanΡla are due to give a decision on July 8 next.