AN TAISCE in west Cork has been forced by local pressure to withdraw an appeal against a new hotel, leisure centre and holiday apartments at Inchydoney Island, near Clonakilty.
However, it managed to secure a legal agreement with the developers to omit a proposed tennis court and car parking facilities from a portion of the site which has been designated as a Special Area for Conservation. The agreement has been made under Section 38 of the 1963 Planning Act, which provides for such covenants. Its terms will therefore be entered on Cork County Council's planning register and on the title deeds to the property.
The appeal to An Bord Pleanala caused a furore locally because it would have led to a four month delay, resulting in the potential loss of tax incentives under the scheme for encouraging development in traditional resort areas.
Mr Tony Lowes, secretary of An Taisce in west Cork, said the gun was put to our heads" to withdraw the appeal, even though he believed there were perfectly valid grounds" for pursuing it.
He said the scheme would affect public access to ecologically important sand dunes. Co Cork has more than 1,671 kilometres of mainland coastline, but only 6.7 kilometres of sand dunes.
Though it persuaded the developers to omit some of the more "damaging" features, An Taisce had failed to secure a commitment that free public access to the beach would be maintained.
Defending An Taisce's role, Mr Lowes said it had examined 1,800 planning applications in Co Cork during the past 17 months; it had objected to 66 and appealed only 12 to An Bord Pleanala - less than 1 per cent of the total.
Mr Lowes said An Taisce's concern about the impact of mass tourism on sensitive areas was totally in line with recent Government policy, as expressed in its policy document on sustainable development. However, he said, the boundaries of tax incentive areas seemed to have been drawn without regard for the need to protect special areas of, conservation. He said An Taisce would be prepared to meet a "small delegation" concerned about planning in Clonakilty as well as Cork County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
