Achill Island housing development refused planning by Mayo County Council

PLANNING permission for the construction of four houses in the tourist village of Dugort on Achill Island was refused due to traffic concerns.

Mayo County Council refused planning permission to Doonfeeney House Limited for the construction of four houses at Dugort East on Achill Island.

Doonfeeney House Limited, who are based in Ballycastle in north Mayo, had sought to construct four detached dwelling houses comprising two dormer houses and two single storey houses on a two acre site which adjoins the main road through the village.

There were a number of submissions received regarding the application with concerns raised regarding the 'inappropriate house design' and the positioning of the houses along the narrow site as well as the potential of a traffic hazard at the proposed junction.

Mayo County Council stated that the applicant has adequately addressed a number concerns raised by the planning section but they still had concerns regarding the 'sight visibility triangle' achievable from the proposed site access location.

Under the planning guidelines, the access visibility requirements for local roads with a 80km per hour speed limit is 120 metres in both directions but the unobstructed view for the site was 70 metres to the west and 65 metres to the east.

In correspondence to Mayo County Council, the applicant classified the local road as an urban road with a 50 km per hour speed limit and therefore would comply with the planning guidelines. However council planners stressed the speed limit through the historic seaside village was 80 km per hour.

“It is the opinion of Mayo County Council that the sight visibility distances as indicated on the site layout submitted supporting this application cannot be met without making alterations in an easterly direction,” the planners report stated.

As the sightlines of 120 metres required in both directions for a local road was not demonstrated by the applicant, Mayo County Council refused planning permission.

“Having regard to this it has not been demonstrated, to the satisfaction of Mayo County Council, that the proposed development if granted would not endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard and obstruction of road users or otherwise,” the council planners stated.