Watch this Space:The National Roads Authority (NRA) has appealed a proposal by Chieftain Construction to build a 200-unit residential development, crèche and two sports pitches at Castlemartyr, Co Cork.
In its appeal to An Bord Pleanála, it said the development would undermine national strategic goals and is considered unacceptable.
It says it is located on the N25 and forms part of the Atlantic corridor which will link gateways from Letterkenny to Waterford and facilitate the delivery of the National Spatial Strategy.
The NRA says planning work to identify the route for the N25 in the area is at a very early stage, "thus it is vitally important that the capacity of the existing N25 is maintained especially at Castlemartyr.
Currently proposals for bypassing Castlemartyr are at a very early planning stage and thus will not be delivered within the timescale of the proposed development."
Six groups appeal Shannon plan
A decision of notification by Leitrim County Council to grant permission to Waterways Ireland to extend the navigation channel from Lough Allen to Annagh Upper in Dowra, Co Leitrim has been appealed by six parties to An Bord Pleanála. The plan is also to build a 16-berth marina with floating walkways, finger jetties, and a car-park.
The appellants are Action for Thoughtful use of Natural Resources, Cavan Leitrim Environmental Awareness Network, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, An Taisce and Water World Europe.
An Taisce says the decision of notification contravenes the provisions of Article 6 of the Habitats Directive which protects natural habitats, including pollan (a fish), which is a protected species under the directives. It says that the extended cabin cruiser access would have an adverse ecological and environmental impact on an area which is being marketed as part of an ecotourism area.
It says cabin cruiser mooring around Lough Allen is already sufficient at marinas near Drumshambo and Spencer Harbour near Ballinaglera.
The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government says it has "concerns about the nature, scale and location of the development" which involves dredging a 15-metre wide channel in the bed of the Shannon over 3.5kms, and this is partly within Kilgarriff Marsh (a proposed natural heritage area).
