by Louise Doyle
RESIDENTS of Crossroads in Killygordon have appealed a decision by Donegal County Council to grant retention permission for the change of use of an existing dwelling house to office accommodation for the use of an adjacent major foods operation.
In their written appeal to An Bord Pleanála, three residents of the Road, Crossroads, Killygordon, cite traffic and safety concerns, insufficient parking facilities and the impact on property values as some of the reasons for their dissatisfaction to the retention permission go-ahead to Nomadic Foods Operation granted in March.
The proposed plans comprise permission for site works associated with and ancillary to the development to be retained, including the provision of pedestrian access linkages to the existing adjacent Nomadic Foods car park and to the public footpath, as well as demolition of the existing detached domestic garage, and the erection of a totem sign near the existing vehicular entrance to the property.
Submitted plans also included the provision of a proprietary wastewater treatment system to replace the existing septic tank.
Donegal County Council granted retention permission at the beginning of May, with 12 conditions attached. These included that that use of the premises herein permitted shall be restricted to the use received by the Planning Authority for office use only, save unless a separate permission is sought.
Further stipulations cited that the opening hours of the premises shall be confined to the hours of 8.30am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm on Saturday and 2pm to 6pm on Sunday.
In their written objection to An Bord Pleanála, the residents voiced concern on a number of grounds.
“The road in question is already a major bottleneck, and the area is particularly problematic given its proximity to to the main entrance of the Aurivo lorry dispatch area. Traffic on this road is already disastrous at the best of times, with congestion and and safety hazards regularly affecting residents, especially during peak hours. The introduction of an office for Nomadic Foods at this location, without a comprehensive traffic analysis, will undoubtedly exacerbate the already severe traffic issues, particularly as there is no indication of how many staff will be working in the office.”
Residents also highlighted concerns around what they described as insufficient parking facilities.
“The application indicates that the office will have only one parking space at the front of the house. There is no indication of how many staff will be working in the office. This is wholly inadequate for the expected number of employees, given that Nomadic Foods employs over 100 staff across two shifts, and the adjacent car park is already at saturation. Parking on the public road and footpaths is a frequent issue, and we fear that the office use will add to the overflow of parked vehicles, further blocking the already limited access for residents and increasing the risk of accidents,” the residents wrote.
The application proposes the installation of a new sewage treatment plant for the office.
“The proposed plant is to be located too close to an existing residential property and there are concerns about whether the ground conditions are suitable for such a development. There is no indication that a specialist report has been completed to assess the environmental and public health risks associated with this installation.
“There are concerns about the devaluation of properties due to the increased noise, traffic congestion and the visual and environmental impact of the office and factory operations in what is primarily a residential area.”
An Bord Pleanála will issue a decision on September 29, 2025.
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