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Labour activist appeals Strandhill plans to Pleanala

A KEY member of the Labour Party in Sligo has appealed aspects of a planned new home and the upgrade of a disputed laneway to An Bord Pleanala.

Details of the appeal were released yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) on the Pleanala website.

It confirms that Mr Hugh McConville's appeal was received last Thursday, July 12th - the only one to date.

Pleanala rulings in planning matters are final unless specific aspects are challenged by way of judicial review in the High Court.

Specific Aspects

Mr McConville is best known in Sligo in his role as Development Officer for An Gaisce  -- The Presidents Award.

Pleanala yesterday indicated that the case is due to be decided by November 14th next. However, this is is often only an indicative date.

The case file shows that a planning application was first lodged on December 15th last in respect of a site at Carrowdough, Strandhill.

The Council sought further information the following day from the applicants, Louise Waters and Ciaran McCauley.

First Lodged

They proposed to construct a single storey dwellling and detached garage, to upgrade an existing laneway, plus install a sewerage treatment system and percolation area.

This information was received on May 23rd last and a conditional planning permission was granted on June 19th, the County Council's online records confirm.

Objected to Description

Three submissions were made in January 2012 by local people shortly after the original planning application was submitted to the Sligo County Council.

Sligo solicitor Michael Horan made a submission on behalf of Kathleen Devins, with Mullaneys solicitors making a submission for Michael and Marion Zaccheus. The solicitors each objected to the use of the phrase "existing laneway" in the application and they opposed any upgrading.

Ownership of commonage was also queried in the submissions, which can be viewed in full online.
 Click on section titled  "View Scanned Files" -  http://www.sligococo.ie/eplan41/FileRefDetails.aspx?file_number=11400&LASiteID=0

The third submission to the County Council was from Mr McConville and he is the only original objector who has so far appealed to Pleanala. However, appeals may be lodged up to August 8th, the Council website suggests.