NOVEMBER 2006

BID TO PREVENT HOUSING NEXT TO HISTORIC CHURCH

Greencastle, 6th November

In a bid to prevent the development of 42 houses adjacent to St. Mary's Church, Ballybrack a local residents group yesterday gathered signatures for a petition opposing the proposal, and highlighted that any individual objections had to be made by Wed. November 8th. The proposed development is one of 5 major development applications made in recent weeks for Greencastle, with the total number of houses proposed exceeding 270.

St. Mary's Catholic Church dates from 1885 and has special local significance as family members of many parishioners are buried there. It is also regarded as particularly picturesque, having a simple late-Victorian design and being attractively situated off the upper Greencastle road. Many local residents are upset with plans to build a high-density housing estate next to church as well as a 3 storey guesthouse/restaurant on the corner of Chapel Lane and the Upper Greencastle Road.

According to Trish Murphy, spokesperson for the Ballybrack Residents Group, the concerns are not only based on the visual impact of the development. "Local residents are also concerned that the infrastructure for water and sewage won't support this density of development, particularly since almost 70 more houses are proposed only a few hundred yards way at Crockaulin Drive. And we are worried that the 42 houses would be used mainly as holiday homes, as has happened with other recent developments in Greencastle. Holiday home development has badly affected other villages like Dunfanaghy and Downings, jeopardising tourism related jobs and businesses there".

Apart from the proposed development at Chapel Field, over 70 houses are proposed at Crockaulin Drive, adjacent to this 46 houses at Drumaweir, a further 53 at Drumaweir and 57 in Ballymacarthur.

Anyone requiring further information on the proposed development in front of Ballybrack Church should contact Trish Murphy on 087 647 8183, or submissions can be made to Donegal Planning Office at the Carndonagh Public Services Centre by Wed. 8th November for the houses and Dec. 5th for the Guesthouse.

movilleinishowen.com would be very interested in your opinion in this matter.

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