Planning granted for Mayo caravan park extension despite environmental concerns

PLANNING permission has been granted for an increase in mobile homes on an Achill caravan site but at a reduced figure than had originally been proposed following environmental concerns.

Mayo County Council granted planning permission to McNicholl Caravans Ltd to construct eleven new mobile home parking bays in Lavelle's Caravan Park close to the Golden Strand beach in Dugort on Achill Island.

The Derry-based company which recently purchased the caravan park had originally proposed constructing 17 new mobile home parking bays but agreed to reduce the number after the local authority expressed concern the development would involve the removal of existing sand dunes.

A number of submissions against the development were also submitted by members of the public with many expressing concerns over the proposed removal of the sand dunes while others felt the site would be over developed and it would be detrimental to the local habitat.

The proposed development was to consist of 17 Weberly Castleton mobile home units with elevated decking accompanying each unit at the northern end of the caravan site. The applicants also proposed to install two electric car charging points on the caravan site.

In a letter to the applicants last February, Mayo County Council sought further information on any impact the development will have on the adjacent Doogort Machair/Lough Doo Special Area of Conservation. They also stated that they had serious concerns regarding the removal of sand dunes to facilitate the development.

“Mayo County Council remains to be convinced as to the suitability of the proposed extension. The site area and lands delineated in blue is an over development of an extremely sensitive site that incorporates a significant removal of sand dune altering negatively the existing visual coastal setting,” the local authority stated in their correspondents with the applicants.

Mayo County Council also suggested that an alternative proposal 'at a suitable scale and design that does not incorporate a significant removal of sand dune area should be explored'.

In a response to Mayo County Council's concerns, Daniel Moran of D Moran Surveyors on behalf of the applicant, stated that the sand dunes in question are man made but they agreed to reduce the number of sites to eleven and not remove the sand dunes.

“The proposed plan is now to reduce the parking bay application from 17 to eleven bays only. The primary use of these bays are for owner occupiers and are not for short term let or camping purposes.

“As per the AA Screening Report we wish to clarify that the dunes on the site are not a natural feature of the landscape and were man made. However, we are taking on board the recommendations of the council and the dunes shall remain untouched should this development be granted permission.

“We reiterate that the protection of the natural habitats in this area remains a high priority for the applicants,” he stated.

Mr Moran also pointed out that there are no new openings between the beach and the caravan park as part of the application and access remains via the existing pathway.

The reduction in the scale of the development was deemed acceptable to Mayo County Council who granted planning permission subject to ten conditions.

Lavelle's Caravan Park is one of seven caravan parks owned by McNicholl Caravans Ltd who as well as owning caravan parks also supply new and used caravans and mobile homes to a variety of holiday parks in Northern Ireland, Scotland and also in Co Donegal.