COUNCILLORS have given the green light for the construction of a social housing development in the Oldtown area of Letterkenny – despite some local objections.
Donegal County Council is planning to build 12 apartments and four semi-detached homes with a new vehicular entrance onto Gaeltex Drive, just off the Oldtown Road. The 0.42 hectare site is owned by the council.
However, a total of 17 third-party observations or submissions were made during the public consultation process.
Among the main concerns raised were in relation to the scale of the development on the site, extra traffic, infrastructure issues, and the overlooking of existing properties.
Nevertheless, the Council’s planning department, having evaluated the proposed development, recommended that it be approved, subject to 18 conditions, primarily connected with orderly development.
According to the local authority, the development “will enhance the character and quality of the surrounding area and provide a high quality and sustainable housing scheme under the government’s Housing for All Plan.
It points out that the site is zoned as an “Opportunity Site” in the Letterkenny Plan and Local Transport Plan 2023 – 2029.
Contrary to claims by some of those who made submissions that the new development would depreciate existing property values, council documentation states that the proposed development “will enhance the local area by developing an unused greenfield site” as well as providing “much needed amenity space” within the development.
In one submission, it is suggested that there is “excessive social housing” in the area.
In response to this, the official council reply is that there is a mixture of private and social housing in the Oldtown area.
It is pointed out that the majority of the 53 units in McNeely Villas – which were originally built by the council – have been bought out. Ros Suilghe, Fr. McLoone Terrace and New Brooke Court are all private developments.
And it continues: “Donegal Co. Council is satisfied that the remaining housing units in this area are established developments with no recent social housing developments in the Oldtown area.
It is not accepted that this proposed development will lead to the area becoming ‘ghettoized’ as a result of the provision of 16 social housing units.”
Other concerns raised in the submissions ranged from fuel emissions to noise pollution, flooding and water related issues, which were all rejected by the council.
The complexities of developing any social housing capital project is borne out by the amount of paperwork and time required in bringing the project to council members for their approval.
Indeed, no fewer than seven sections of the council were involved, three government departments, and 15 other agencies, entities or companies ranging from Uisce Éireann to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, ESB networks and the Environmental Protection Agency.
On a more unusual level, a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report was carried out on the site and it recommended that a further “bat roosting survey” may be required as the project progresses.
Likewise, a management plan will be implemented as the project progresses to deal with an invasive species – Salmonberry – which was found in the area.
On Monday, councillors passed what is now as a Part 8 Approval which now paves the way for the development to go ahead.
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