Core Refusal Reason
The application was refused due to potential adverse impacts on protected Natura 2000 sites and bat habitats, inadequate wastewater treatment proposals on a highly vulnerable aquifer, failure to demonstrate legal access rights, and insufficient substantiation of rural housing need.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The Planning Authority could not rule out significant adverse effects on the Lough Corrib SAC and SPA, specifically citing the absence of a Bat Survey for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat and potential threats to the integrity of these European sites.
- Due to the site's location over a regionally important aquifer of extreme vulnerability with shallow soils and fractured rock, the applicant failed to prove that wastewater could be satisfactorily treated on-site without prejudice to public health.
- The applicant failed to provide necessary legal evidence of a right of way over the private access road and did not sufficiently substantiate a long-established rural housing need as required for areas under strong urban pressure.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Policy Objective NHB 1Policy Objective NHB 2Policy Objective NHB 3Policy Objective NHB 9Policy Objective WW6Policy Objective RH2DM Standard 7DM Standard 30DM Standard 50
Decision Document Summary
The proposal involved the construction of a dwelling house, garage, and private wastewater treatment system at Barr Eanaigh, Corrandulla, Co. Galway, a rural area under strong urban pressure adjacent to the Lough Corrib SAC and SPA. Galway County Council refused the application on five grounds, primarily focusing on the lack of environmental screening and bat surveys to protect sensitive European sites. Furthermore, the site's extreme aquifer vulnerability made it unsuitable for effluent disposa...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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