Council requests further information on proposed paintball facility

PLANS for Clare’s first paintballing activity centre are on hold as Clare County Council has requested further information in relation to the proposed facility on Coillte lands near Quin.
The application, which refers to the development of an outdoor activity facility at Cullaun/Deerpark South, including paintball, was lodged by Horatio Vasiu and Stranislav Goreanschi in November.
In the last week, further information has been sought by the local authority after it raised concerns that the proposed development may result in the fragmentation of habitat, population or breeding area of bats, birds and mammals using the lands.
It has requested the applicants to carry out a species and habitat survey of the subject site and an ecological assessment of the area with a view to addressing these concerns.
The council has noted that “the proposed natural heritage area of Lough Cullaunyheeda is located approximately 500m to the north-east of this site and the subject site itself consists of planted Coillte beech woodland on limestone outcrop with a bramble, fern and moss under story. The proposed site of the activity facility is a valuable habitat for numerous mammal and bird species, including the Annex II species lesser horse shoe bat.”
The authority also highlighted that Cullaun House, located 600m away from the proposed site, is home to a maternity and hibernation roost of the same horse shoe bat, highlighting that the species uses the surrounding area for foraging. It is also the home of barn owls, kestrels and the woodlands are a habitat for other wildlife such as red squirrels, fallow, deer, badgers and pine martins.
The planning authority said it has concerns “that the proposed development may result in the fragmentation of habitat, population or breeding area of these bats, birds and mammals and/or the disturbance of breeding, commuting and foraging ground for mammal and bird species through ground clearance, noise, traffic and lighting”.
The council also advised the applicants that “mitigation measures should be proposed to minimise disturbance to wildlife in the area” and invited them to submit detailed proposals to address this concern.
The applicants were also advised that the existing access point to the site on their plans “must be altered so that emergency and fire vehicles can access the proposed development”.