Core Refusal Reason
The development fails to comply with rural housing policy for coastal areas, would negatively impact a highly sensitive scenic landscape, and features an unsafe access arrangement.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposal contravenes Rural Housing Objective RHO-4 as it would impinge on the character and integrity of a designated scenic coastal area and the applicant did not demonstrate that the development could not be sited at an alternative, less sensitive location.
- The dwelling's location on an elevated drumlin landscape would make it visually prominent and incongruous, failing to integrate into the rural environment and adversely affecting the visual amenity of the Clew Bay area.
- The applicant failed to demonstrate that the proposed 350m long access driveway meets the required safety gradients set out in the County Development Plan, thereby posing a potential traffic hazard and endangering public safety.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Objective RHO-4Section 7.9Table 6
Decision Document Summary
This application proposed the construction of a large modern bungalow (327m2) on an elevated 1.32-hectare site at Drumgarve, Kilmeena, overlooking Clew Bay. While the applicant demonstrated a social link to the general area, the Planning Authority determined that the development would be visually obtrusive on a sensitive drumlin landscape and contravene Objective RHO-4 of the Mayo County Development Plan 2022-2028. Additionally, the proposed access route was deemed unsafe due to excessive gradie...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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