Campaigner loses sports centre challenge

Environmental campaigner Maura Harrington has lost a High Court challenge to planning permission for a sports and community facility in an area that she claimed is part of a blanket bog and a priority natural habitat.

The Inver community development group had been given permission by Mayo County Council to build the facility on a 1.38 hectare site at Inver, Barnatra, Ballina, Co Mayo.

Ms Harrington appealed to An Bord Pleanála (ABP) claiming the area was a priority habitat under an EU habitats directive and was protected, even though it had not been formally designated a special area of conservation or similar.

The board upheld the grant of permission.

An inspector found no convincing evidence had been provided to demonstrate the area was a blanket bog and said the development could be constructed without adversely affecting the site.

Ms Harrington claimed ABP had misapplied the provisions of the directive and the development could have serious and irreversible implications.