Green light for graveyard extension

PLANS to extend the burial ground at Templemaley have been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála. Fr Jerry Carey of Doora-Barefield Parish has welcomed the board’s decision to grant permission to the extension of the graveyard, which is close to capacity, saying, “We are very thrilled that the process has been seen through the end and we have procured this permission. This is a growing area and this extension will be needed for the future.”
The site of the proposed development is located directly east of Templemaley Graveyard comprising .230 hectares of a greenfield site. It is envisaged that the extension will allow for 96 burial plots.
The Department of the Environment appealed to An Bord Pleanála the decision of Clare County Council to grant permission to the extension. The application was made by a voluntary group in the growing Doora-Barefield Parish, with Fr Jerry Carey making the application. The permission was granted in February by Clare County Council, subject to five conditions.
In obtaining planning permission, original plans for the extension had been revised following concerns about the layout and design of the proposed graveyard. The revised designs were found by the county conservation officer to satisfactorily address issues of visual impact prior to the granting of planning permission by Clare County Council.
According to the appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanála, the department stated that the extension would be located on higher ground resulting in an “unnecessary and unsustainable” visual impact on the existing church and graveyard.
The department considered the development unsuitable in relation to the visual impact on the wider archaeological landscape, with recorded monument Ballyalla Castle nearby. The appeal referred to the Clare County Development Plan, which seeks to avoid unsympathetic developments close to areas of archaeological and architectural heritage. The Department of the Environment concluded that the proposed development would have an “irreversible negative impact” on upstanding monuments, their setting and visual amenity”.
Responding to the appeal, Tim O’Brien, planning consultant, stated that there are three graveyards in the parish, two are already full and Templemaley is close to capacity.
As a working graveyard, he pointed out that there is a wide variety of headstones in place and he considered the extension to represent a geometric logic to the existing development and would be enclosed on two sides by its triangular shaped stone walling.
It was outlined that the area is zoned as Open Countryside in the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2008 – 2014. Mr O’Brien stated that an archaeological assessment was undertaken and the layout was revised in accordance with guidelines. The proposed extension follows existing contours and is a similar use to existing, which already exhibits a mix of old and modern headstones. Regarding the ruin of Ballyalla Castle, located near the site, Mr O’Brien stated that the castle has been reduced to rubble concealed within a large mound and is not a visible part of the landscape. The view of the castle/mound is most visible from the existing road and this will remain unaffected, whereas the view from the public road is screened by high stone walling.
In assessing the appeal, senior planning inspector for An Bord Pleanála Robert Ryan pointed out that the existing graveyard is relatively small and close to capacity. He noted the development represented a “logical extension” to the graveyard and that this use is “open for consideration” according to the site’s zoning.
After visiting the site, Mr Ryan considered that many of the points made by Mr O’Brien are “valid”.
“Although it is located close to Ennis, this is a quite lightly trafficked rural area…the graveyard and proposed extension is largely screened from view by the stone walling which is 1.8m in height.” Plans for the creation of walling along the southern boundary, “should provide a backdrop and sense of enclosure to this space,” the inspector found.
Mr Ryan described the revised layout as “far superior” to the original pattern, “being more informal and less rigid”. He stated that compliance with the guidelines for the design of graveyard extensions “should ensure that visual impact is discreet and not out of character with existing graveyard”.
The inspector outlined that the existing ruined church is a recorded monument and the nearest other monument is the mound associated with Ballyalla Castle.
“While this mound is a distinctive feature, there is no castle in evidence to the casual viewer and the separation distance is quite lengthy. Accordingly, the graveyard extension, which is no nearer to the mound or between the mound and church, is not considered to be detrimental to either monument,” the inspector found.
He acknowledged that an archaeological assessment revealed no evidence of archaeological deposits and that Clare County Council’s planning authority had inserted a monitoring condition which the inspector deemed reasonable.
The inspector recommended An Bord Pleanála grant  permission, with conditions, for the development.
He stated, “While this is a very sensitive setting, the proposed development represents a logical extension that would not be out of scale or have an adverse visual impact on the existing graveyard or nearby recorded monuments. It fulfils a local need, which is of great spiritual benefit to the overall community.
“Provided there is archaeological monitoring and detailed attention given to boundary treatment, surface finishes and proposed entrance, I would sustain the view of the planning authority that it would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. Accordingly, it is recommended that permission be granted.”
The board agreed to grant permission, subject to five conditions, stating, “The proposed development would not adversely affect the character and setting of existing recorded monuments in the vicinity, would not seriously injure the amenities of property in the vicinity and would, therefore, be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
Conditions of planning included that headstones not exceed 1.2m above ground level and that the developer employ a licensed archaeologist to carry out archaeological monitoring of the works. If archaeological material be discovered, the developer should facilitate the archaeologist in recording this material and the planning authority informed. A report from the archaeologist must be submitted to the planning authority describing the results within six weeks of the completion of the monitoring.