Application for retention of Inch tourism development refused

An application for the retention of a tourism development on Inch has been refused by Donegal County Council following six objections.

Musician Keith Harkin and his wife Kelsey lodged the application in October for the retention of a development at Glack/Bohullion, which included two glamping pods, two hot tubs, decking areas and car parking.

The development also included the change of use of an outbuilding to toilets and a shower block.

Objectors listed concerns including road safety issues caused by extra traffic, inadequate parking, noise, the impact on wildlife and the strain of the development on the water supply in the area.

Planners described the proposal as an "ad hoc, unstainable and inappropriate form of development" which "fails to comply with relevant tourism and natural heritage policies".

The council refused the application for retention planning, saying that while it is policy to consider the development of "resource-related/activity-based tourism product developments," the proposal failed “to achieve a high-quality tourism product".

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The council added that the development would create a noise nuisance and would “create an undesirable policy precedent for glamping developments in scenic rural areas".

The local authority also stated that it was not satisfied that the development would not have a significant impact on the nearby Lough Swilly special area of conservation and special protection area.