DONEGAL County Council has sought further information on a proposal to redevelop the former Seaview Hotel in Gweedore.
The Bunbeg Revitalisation project, being developed by Dublin-based property developers Vesada Private, will see a €20 million investment to include the former Seaview and Ostan Ghaoth Dobhair Hotels.
Phase 1 of the project will see the construction of 44 new bedrooms on the site of the former Seaview Hotel together with the renovation of the existing 36 rooms, bar and restaurant as well as a first floor apartment over new ground floor cafe.
Plans have been submitted to demolish and reconstruct part of the building to remove existing night club and toilet block to facilitate new hotel rooms and gym, ancillary parking (94 spaces) and coach set down for patrons of the hotel.
The application also includes all associated site development and engineering works including a new wastewater treatment plant to facilitate the development.
In a letter to the developer on Friday last, October 29, the Council stated that it had a number of concerns about the treatment and disposal of foul effluent as the existing sewage scheme in the area does not extend towards the development site.
The local authority has asked the applicant to submit copies of an ecological report which considers the proximity of the site to the Natura 2000 site Gweedore Bay and Islands Special Area of Conservation.
They have also been asked to resubmit the Engineering Assessment Report, the WWTS Design Report and the Outline Construction and Demolition Management plan for the site.
Copies of the above reports were submitted in support of the application in early September but were ‘insufficient’ as numerous pages were not included in the originally submitted reports.
The Council is also looking for copies of a site suitability assessment report, in accordance with the EPA Code of Practice from small communities, business, leisure developments and hotel developments, and clarification of the proposal for discharge of treated effluent.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
“The engineer’s report submitted with the application focuses on chosen type and capacity of the system but does not deal with site conditions as is required for any proposals for wastewater treatment and disposal,” the letter reads.
Referring to the Engineering Assessment Report which states that “Clarified effluent…is being discharged further to storm water sewer”, the Council’s Lab said it was a ‘confusing statement and one of concern’.
“Clarification is required on the proposal for discharge of clarified effluent in addition to studies and calculations that have been carried out in relation to assimilative capacity. It is also noted that reference is made in the report to the discharge of effluent to the ‘town sewer’. The existing sewage scheme in the area does not extend towards the development site.
“Applicant is further advised that it is highly unlikely that a discharge licence from Donegal County Council will be granted for the discharge of effluent from such a facility to storm/surface waters or a water course. Applicant may explore the installation of an integrated constructed wetland to accept the treated effluent and agreement may be forthcoming to licence the discharge from same waters under Section 4 of the Water Pollution Act,” it reads.
The applicant has also been asked to submit copies of a storm water report detailing how the network will cater for storm water created within the site.
Should the public storm water system need to be upsized to cater for the proposed development, the applicant will have to submit an amended proposal.
The well known Sea View Hotel at Magheraclogher, Bunbeg, which closed in January 2015, was put on the market later that year with an asking price of €250,000. Located on the main Derrybeg – Bunbeg road, the hotel was originally constructed in 1958 and later extended in 1970, 1980 and 1996.
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