2361488

of: (i) lowering of ground levels, clearing vegetation, importation & laying of stone fill, (ii) single storey storage building (gross floor area of retention 162 sq.m), (iii) vehicular entrance onto L5340 roadway, (iv) storage of construction materials, and permission for alterations to existing entrance onto public roadway, landscaping, drainage, and all associated site works,

Refused

Core Refusal Reason

The development was refused due to its non-compliance with rural enterprise policies, significant traffic safety risks arising from restricted sightlines, inadequate surface water management, and its detrimental visual impact on a designated Iconic Landscape.

Decision Maker's Conclusion

  • The development fails to satisfy the criteria for rural enterprises under Policy Objective CD 1, as it lacks agricultural justification, is excessive in scale for its setting, and would establish an undesirable precedent for unauthorized commercial development in a rural area.
  • The vehicular entrance is deemed a public safety hazard due to restricted sight distances that do not meet DM Standard 28, and the remedial works required to achieve necessary visibility would constitute an unacceptable level of intervention on a local roadway.
  • The proposal is visually obtrusive and fails to assimilate into the Class 4 Iconic Landscape designation, while also failing to demonstrate that surface water can be managed safely without contravening environmental standards.

Cited Policies (CDP)

Policy Objective CD 1DM Standard 19DM Standard 28DM Standard 67Policy Objective WW 11Policy Objective LCM 1Policy Objective LCM 2Policy Objective LCM 3

Decision Document Summary

The applicant sought retention for a 162 sqm storage building, site leveling, and a vehicular entrance, alongside permission for entrance alterations on a 0.853 ha site at Cregg, Oughterard. Located within a highly sensitive Class 4 Iconic Landscape and the Gaeltacht, the proposal was assessed as a commercial development lacking sufficient rural-based justification. Galway County Council refused the application on four grounds: the creation of a traffic hazard due to substandard sightlines, the ...
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