Portrun mixed use project plans challenged

A challenge to plans for a café/bar, restaurant and retail units along the lakeshore at Portrunny has been submitted to An Bord Pleanála in a bid to overturn permission for the ambitious project. Last February, applicant Gerry Nolan passed the first planning hurdle gaining permission from the council to build two single storey commercial/retail units, one two storey split use unit with a commercial outlet on the ground floor and a two bed apartment on the first floor, along with a further two storey unit comprising of a cafe, bar, restaurant and delivery area at Portrunny and Cooltona townlands, Ballymurray. Some 59 surface car parking spaces, a new development access entrance/exit onto the public road and development access road were also included in the proposals, although six terraced holiday homes failed to garner approval from planners. Six submissions were lodged in opposition to the South Roscommon-based project at the local planning stage. Four appeals have already been lodged against it to An Bord Pleanala, by Paul Chartan, John Horan, An Taisce and the Department of the Environment. The main bones of contention are what is considered a large urban style development in a rural setting, a lack of public sewerage facilities, and a negative impact on the view of the lake, something that objectors feel could impact on tourism prospects of the area. Zoning, overdevelopment of a small site and possible traffic hazards in a country area with an inadequate road structure were also cited in the submissions against the plans for the land along Lough Ree. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government said the conditions attached to the grant of planning did not allay its concerns in relation to the protection of Lough Ree, its habitats or species. The department said it had concerns over water quality- and had requested information on the applicants' ability to connect to public services and sewers. It said the application was also not accompanied by an "appropriate assessment" as required under the Habitats Directive. An Taisce argued that the development because of its lakeshore proximity would "have a range of adverse physical and landscape impacts" on the character and amenity of Lough Ree. It said the wastewater disposal was "unsatisfactorily resolved" and said the site was not the "appropriate area to consolidate the existing settlement of Portrunny". The case is not expected to be decided by An Bord Pleanála until July at the earliest.