28 December, 1998

Re: Permission for the erection of dwellinghouse and septic tank at Moycullen,

Galway County Council 98/3374

Dear Sir,

We wish to object to the above grant of planning permission, on behalf of Friends of the Irish Environment c/o David Healy, 54 Evora Park, Howth, Co Dublin and on our own behalf.

This is an application for full planning permission on the same site as Pl. 07. 106076 which was the subject of a successful appeal by Friends of the Irish Environment.

The inspector's conclusion and recommendation was:

"The proposed development, because of its location, design, its dominant roof and its massing, being located on a large open site, would be visually obtrusive in this scenic rural area outside the village of Moycullen which is becoming subject to intense pressures for one off houses. In conclusion, therefore, I consider that the third party appeal against the planning authority grant of permission should be upheld and I would advise that the proposed development be refused."

The inspectors recommendation was:

"I advise that planning permission be refused for the proposed house and septic tank for the following reason:

1. The proposed development is located in a scenic rural area outside of the village of Moycullen which is zoned for development in the Galway County Development Plan 1997 -2002. It is the policy of the Planning Authority to conserve the essential open character of the rural landscapes and to control ribbon development. This policy is considered reasonable. The development, by reason of its design, scale, and its extensive roof, bulk and massing, would be visually obtrusive, being located on an open site which would interfere with the visual amenity and essential character of the rural area by the introduction of inappropriate suburban type development. The proposed development would, therefore, contravene materially the provisions of the Development Plan relating to the area, would be visually obtrusive, would seriously injure the amenities of the area and would be country to the proper planning and development of the area."

The present appeal house is 250 sq.m. This is larger than the previous application, refused by An Bord Pleanala in July this year, which was for a house of 200 sq.m.

The site is the same.

The design is almost the same; bigger house, no garage.

The scale is similar.

The roof is still extensive.

The bulk and massing are much more than would be in a cottage which is what the Planning Authority had in mind when granting outline permission was granted.

It is our submission that this development would be equally visually obtrusive .

We would like to refer the Board to file no. 03.105187 to which we submitted an aquifer map showing this area to be a highly vulnerable nationally important aquifer.

We would also like to refer the Board to the Environmental Impact Statement submitted with the new proposal for a further extension to Carrowbrowne Dump which also shows this area to be a highly vulnerable nationally important aquifer.

We submit that this appeal would not have been necessary had the Minister implemented the Board's recommendation that Planning Authorities uphold the previous decisions of An Bord Pleanala.

The planner's report states:

"The applicants have now addressed this reason for refusal by reducing the scale of the development by omitting the double garage. I consider that the revised proposal addresses the Board's refusal reason."

We submit that if the omitting of the double garage addressed the Board's reason for refusal, the Board would have conditioned that the double garage be omitted.

We expect a further refusal.

Yours faithfully

Peter Sweetman

and on behalf of

Friends of the Irish Environment and

the local residents

who submitted to the Planning Authority.