Planning permission has been refused once again for new sports facilities in Oughterard.
Oughterard Sports and Recreational Partnership appealed to An Bord Pleanála after the county council last year refused planning for a new pitch, multiple courts, and other facilities.
The full development was to a new grass multi-sport playing pitch with flood lighting, new goal posts and ball stop nets to all pitches, three multi-purpose hard surface ball courts, and an astroturf amenity area with fencing.
The development would also include the installation of flood lights on the existing rugby pitch on the site.
A facilities building with meeting rooms, toilets, showers, administration and ancillary facilities was also included in the plans, along with a 58 spaces of car parking.
All of this would be on a 4.55ha site at Lemonfield, Oughterard on the Pier Road, the southern half of which is leased by Oughterard RFC, who have developed a pitch there.
The county council refused planning in January 2022, saying that it would “negatively impact on the free flow of traffic” on the local Pier Road, creating a safety hazard.
In the appeal to An Bord Pleanála, Oughterard Sports and Recreational Partnership said that there is little traffic on this road, other than to access 16 dwellings, five of which are holiday homes, the pier, and agricultural lands.
It also states that the site is within walking distance of the town, and that traffic volumes and speeds are low on this road.
Two new passing bays would be created on the road as part of the development, and no parking would be permitted on the road itself.
The inspector for An Bord Pleanála recommended granting approval for the project, stating that the road network would be able to cater for the increase in traffic in his opinion.
An Bord Pleanála refused planning for the same reason as the county council, saying that the increased traffic on the local road would pose a safety risk as a traffic hazard.
