Objector appeals GAA gym approval

Plans for the approved development of a new gymnasium building for Parteen GAA club have been put on hold following an appeal lodged to An Bord Pleanála by a local objector.
Despite requesting Parteen GAA Club to submit a revised Flood Risk Assessment for the gym and an objection from a local resident, the local planning authority  gave the proposed development the green light last December.
In his appeal to the appeals’ board seeking to overturn planning approval, Tom Buckley claimed the proposed site is on a flood plain and is at severe risk of flooding.
Mr Buckley expressed  surprise the council didn’t refer to this in their granting of permission, as this area was completely flooded in early February, 1990.
“The report submitted by St Nicholas GAA club implies that the risk of flooding is a one-in-100-year event. This is clearly not the case because in 2011 during the flooding of the river when the water levels were exceptionally high, going within four inches of bursting the banks.
“Only for the hard work of GAA club committee members, namely Joe O’Connell, who managed to raise the bank with the help of a digger, it would certainly have flooded.
“St Nicholas GAA clubhouse has been severely flooded in the past, which resulted in water levels rising up the walls of the dressing rooms by a number of feet causing extensive flood damage.
“The attempt by the GAA club to conceal previous flooding can only lead to the conclusion that they themselves believed that flooding was a major risk,” he stated.
He claimed that insurance companies have refused residents in Westbury, which adjoin the GAA pitch, any coverage in the event of flooding.
“Given that insurance companies are extremely adept at assessing risk, they clearly believe that the risk of flooding in the area is very high,” he said.
While the council stipulated in one of its planning conditions that the gym may only be utilised for club purposes, Mr Buckley noted the development committee stated in its newsletter “any suggestions on the hall are very welcome and will be taken into consideration”.
Mr Buckley argued this implied the development committee appeared confused on how they intend to use the facility.
Last July, the council requested the club submit a revised Flood Risk Assessment for the proposed development as it considered its first review wasn’t comprehensive enough to address its concerns concerning the impact of the development on flooding in this area.
Additional information was sought to comply with the provisions of the Office of Public Works and Department of Environment planning guidelines
A new Flood Risk Assessment Report submitted from Hydro Environmental Limited noted the predicated one-in-100-year and one-in-1,000-year flood level at the Parteen GAA grounds was estimated at 5.8m OD.