Developers behind a controversial plan to build 58 holiday homes and 40 apartments and turn a ruined castle into a hotel on the edge of Lough Eske in Co Donegal have been told to reduce the number of holiday homes in the plan to 13.
Donegal County Council has not yet made a final decision on the planning application by Lough Eske Development Company Ltd but has requested more information and significant changes to the proposal.
Local residents are strongly opposed to the development, which they say would do permanent damage to the lakeside woodland, which runs adjacent to a National Heritage Area.
The land was formerly owned by Coillte.
The county council requested that the bulk of the holiday homes be omitted from the plan on the basis that they would result in the loss of, or damage to, trees on the site which would "irrevocably alter the landscape character of the area".
The developers were also instructed to drop plans for a boathouse and moorings on the lake, to submit a detailed tree survey for the area affected, particularly in relation to car parking facilities, and to submit revised proposals for sewage disposal.