THE car park at Horn Head is to be extended due to an increase in the number of people visiting the area.
A tender document has just been published for the expansion and reconstruction of the current parking facilities at Lurgabrack.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage intends to build a car park that can cater for 34 vehicles, including two disabled spaces and four camper vans. Bicycle parking, notice boards and a picnic area are also to be developed.
A spokesperson for the Department said, “Due to increasing numbers of visitors to this area the existing car park is now too small. The existing car park is also inadequate in terms of design and finish.”The car park is located in a Special Area of Conservation and applicants to the tender process are being told that a sensitive design will be required to “minimise any negative impacts on the surrounding area”.
The tender process closes on September 19 with the work to be completed before the Christmas break.
Welcoming the development plans, Leas Chathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District Michael McClafferty said he hoped it would enhance the experience for visitors to the area.
“I welcome anything that improves our tourism product and hopefully what this will do is keep everyone parked in the one place.
“What you tend to find at the moment is that people head off in their various directions and then park at different locations. And often visitors don’t appreciate the road layout and the one way system that is going on there.
“You also have normal farming life going on in that area and at any time you could encounter a tractor, sheep or cows in the road, the things that make up rural life in Donegal.
“It is about managing these things and hopefully with the bigger car park visitors will park up and then walk or cycle to whatever it is they want to see,” Councillor McClafferty added.
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