By Diarmaid Doherty
RESIDENTS opposed to plans to develop eight apartments on a site in the Glencar area of Letterkenny say they will take their case to An Bord Pleanála if necessary.
Concerned residents held a meeting this week and they will lodge an objection with Donegal County Council against the proposed development at the corner of College Farm Road.
Well known developer PJ McDermott is seeking planning permission for the construction of four two-storey buildings each of which will house two apartments, making eight in total.
The planning application was recently submitted to Donegal County Council and a decision is due on the application on June 27.
The 0.8 acre site is the former residence of the O’Callaghan family. Their former bungalow-style house was demolished some years ago and the site has since lay vacant.
Residents had previously objected to plans lodged by a different developer who back in 2008, was seeking permission to build 11 apartments. That application was turned down by An Bord Pleanála.
The site at the junction of Glencar Road and College Farm Road, Letterkenny.
On Tuesday evening, residents from the area including Hawthorn Heights, College Farm Road, Wolfe Tone Place, New Line Road and Glencar Road, gathered for a meeting to outline their concerns over the latest planning proposals.
The chairman of the group, Niall O’Donnell, said it was important to point out that local residents are not opposed to a development at the site.
“But what we want is something that will fit into the area,” he said.
“It’s over-population. It’s a site of .8 of an acre, yet he wants to put eight apartments in there.
“Going by that, there would have to be room for parking for 12 cars. If you parked 12 cars on the site as it is at the moment, you would hardly have room.”
Mr O’Donnell said there are other concerns among local residents, but one big issue centres on the traffic issues in the area.
He said traffic is extremely busy at school time as there are six schools in the immediate area. Many children walk to and from school so pedestrian traffic can also be extremely busy.
“I would call that corner a flash point for traffic,” he said.
“It’s a bad enough spot at present and everyday the traffic backing up the Back Road. This will make things worse.”
He also argued that if the development is given the green light it could set a precedent for similar housing projects on Glencar Road where, given the age profile of some of the local residents, more houses could become available to purchase in future years.
Main pic: Concerned residents who attended a meeting on Tuesday night on the proposed development of apartments in the Glencar area of Letterkenny. Photo Brian McDaid.
Mr O’Donnell insisted that local residents know all too well that there is a need for new housing in Letterkenny.
“I came out of social housing myself in the Burmah (Ard O’Donnell) and back then, people were delighted to be housed.”
In the meantime the group will meet again next Thursday evening to further discuss their plans to object.
“We will have to go down to the road of An Bord Pleanála and we’re quite prepared to do that,” he said.
“We don’t want to do that because it will cost money and it will cost time.”
The developer behind the project, PJ McDermott, said the site is a prime location for housing.
He said he had consulted with some of the local residents to tell them of his plans before submitting his application.
“It’s a great site, in the middle of the town,” he said.
“The town needs housing – every town in the county is crying out for accommodation.
“If you look at Letterkenny, you have a number of major companies, along with ATU and the hospital where there are employment opportunities.
“People are wanting to come here to work, and to do so, they need somewhere to live.”
Referring to local residents’ concerns, he said: “The application is all within the planning regulations, and if there are any problems, be it with parking or whatever, I’m sure the council’s planners will pick up on that. But there’s plenty of room for parking.
“We are shovel ready. If we got planning in the morning, we’d be in there straight away.”
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)