Council grants permission to retain Killaloe marina berths

CLARE County Council has granted planning approval to retain a marina development in Killaloe near a protected area after the applicant addressed a number of concerns expressed by the planning authority.
Additional information and revised plans concerning the controversial marina development were sought by the council amid concern from local residents about compliance for existing planning permission.
It expressed concern that the site layout plan as received from Ian Symington, c/o Neil Bennett MRAI, 3 Riverfront, Howley’s for the retention of nine existing berths was not an accurate illustration of the existing marina layout at this site.
An application submitted by the same applicant last year to reorganise a previously permitted inland marina, provision of 48 new berths within the marina and retention of nine existing berths at Harbour Village was refused by the county council.
On inspection of the marina, the council claimed the site layout plan differed from the actual situation on site, which has a wooden walkway at the side of one of the berths proposed for retention.
“In light of the above concerns, please submit a revised site layout plan and any other details as appropriate to illustrate the existing situation at the marina and the exact location of the berths for retention, including all wooden walkways,” the council requested.
According to a letter provided by the applicant’s agent, some of the apartments at this location have more than one berth and in these cases, the residents have purchased more than one berth or had their berth enlarged, due to the size of the boat owned.
The letter confirmed that the applicant had no intention of selling any berths to non-residents of the adjacent apartments.
“The applicant states that the berths are sold to apartments, not leased and the applicant has no intention in running a commercial marina at this location and has no plans to do so in the future.
“A letter from the applicant’s solicitor has also been submitted stating that the mooring berths in this location were sold as part of the apartments to apartment owners and, to the best of the solicitor’s knowledge, the mooring berths are not available for sale to the general public,” the planning report stated.
The planning authority granted retention subject to five conditions including a condition that the berth proposed for retention can’t be used, let or sold for commercial purposes and can’t be sold/let separately to the sale of an apartment at the subject development.
Full provision has to be made on the site for the containment of any oil, fuel or similar spillages on the marina or adjacent to it to protect Lough Derg.
Before the start of the development, the applicant has to pay a contribution of €5,026 to the council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the development.
The Clare Association of An Taisce stated in its council submission that in keeping with recent guidelines from Europe and the Department of the Environment, all retentions within designated areas such as the National Heritage Area (NHA)/Special Area of Conservation of Lough Derg could no longer be permitted and would have to be demolished.
“This was an unauthorised development with an outstanding enforcement issue. Under no circumstances should it be granted and further efforts need to be made to see that enforcement is carried out,” the association claimed.
A submission from the Harbour Village Residents’ Association confirmed it didn’t object to the proposed retention but would like to see existing planning permission complied with.
The association requested that 61 existing berths should be restored to their correct sizes in accordance with the original planning permission granted in 1998 and a subsequent enforcement order.