Core Refusal Reason
The proposal was refused due to unsuitable site drainage conditions posing a risk to public health and groundwater, alongside the negative visual impact of the dwelling on a highly sensitive Class 4 coastal landscape.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The site's poor drainage characteristics and the impervious nature of the underlying bedrock mean that safe disposal of domestic effluent cannot be guaranteed, posing a significant risk to public health and groundwater quality in contravention of the EPA Code of Practice.
- The proposed dwelling is located in a high-sensitivity Class 4 rural landscape where it would fail to integrate appropriately, detracting from the visual amenity and character of this exposed coastal location.
- The development would constitute undesirable backland development and set a negative precedent for similar future developments in the area, directly contravening multiple landscape and design objectives of the County Development Plan.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Objective RHO 1Objective RHO 3Objective RHO 9Objective LCM 1Objective LCM 2DM Standard 6Section 9.10.1Section 9.11Section 13.3Section 13.4
Decision Document Summary
The applicant sought outline planning permission for a dwelling, garage, and wastewater treatment system on a 0.457ha site at Mweenish Island, Co. Galway, located within a Class 4 landscape of high sensitivity. Although the applicant established a rural housing need, the Planning Authority refused the application because the site's poor drainage and thin soil cover over a vulnerable aquifer posed unacceptable environmental risks. Furthermore, the elevated and exposed coastal siting was deemed to...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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