Core Refusal Reason
The development, by virtue of significant excavation and land level changes, represents an inappropriate physical intervention into a High Amenity landscape and resulted in the loss of protected maritime heathland, contravening both the Fingal County Development Plan and the Howth SAAO.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The extensive re-landscaping and gradient alterations required to 'embed' the structure have materially and detrimentally changed the natural topography and character of a highly sensitive protected landscape.
- The construction and retention of the pod resulted in the removal of protected maritime heathland habitat, directly contravening the preservation mandates of the Howth Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO).
- The proposal is fundamentally non-compliant with 'High Amenity' zoning objectives and would set an undesirable planning precedent for unauthorized interventions in a coastal area of exceptional scenic value.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Policy GINHP28Objective GINHO67Policy GINHP27Objective GINHO58Section 13.5Section 9.6.17Policy CSP23Howth SAAO Objective 1.1Howth SAAO Policy 2.4.1Howth SAAO Objective 3.4Howth SAAO Policy 3.4.2
Decision Document Summary
This report evaluates a first-party appeal against Fingal County Council's refusal to grant retention permission for a standalone, single-storey 'bunker type' viewing pod (c. 45sqm) at Cliff Haven, Thormanby Road, Howth. The site is split-zoned, with the viewing pod located in a 'High Amenity' area within the Howth Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO). The appellants contended the pod replaced a pre-existing structure and is visually unobtrusive; however, the Inspector found that the enabling 'embe...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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