Fresh planning bid may be made for campsite owned without permission in Limerick
Facility near Feenagh facing closure after council ruling
A FRESH planning application could be made for a campsite in West Limerick.
It comes with a meeting being sought over the refusal of plans to retain a caravan park and campsite in West Limerick.
Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin is seeking the meeting between local authority planners, the applicant Jason Carmody and his agent.
It comes after planners denied Mr Camody permission to keep operating his business, Limerick Campsite and Aire located just outside Feenagh.
The businessman, who is chairman of the Irish Motorhome Working Group, acknowledged he did not initially seek permission from council to develop and open the park.
It meant he had to apply to council for what is known as ‘retention permission’.
But, as revealed by Limerick Live last week, this was refused, and now Mr Carmody says he will shut down the park by September 1 next.
However, Cllr Galvin, who is a supporter of the park in Feenagh is now seeking a meeting which, he believes, could pave the way for Mr Carmody making a fresh planning application to council.
He was critical of the local authority for not seeking further information during the planning process, a move which he believes, could have brought about a positive solution for the campsite owner.
Further information requests are a common part of the planning permission process in Ireland.
They occur when a planning authority seeks more details about a proposed development to assist in the decision-making process.
“I want to sit down and find out, if this development can be achieved, let’s achieve it. If not, it is fine,” Cllr Galvin told the Limerick Leader.
A number of local residents had written to council expressing concern over the development.
One person wrote they had “experienced an increase in noise, traffic and littering.”
They also alleged they had witnessed dog fouling.
Another pointed to a lack of public water supply in the area and the fact breeding buzzards have been reintroduced to the area.
Cllr Galvin said: “I don’t blame the public for objecting. They want to get it right. How can the council turn around and refuse an application without sending out a request for further information to give the guy a chance to get it right?
“The bottom line is a new application is more than likely going to have to go in,” said the councillor.
Cllr Galvin repeated his view that he feels the campsite is a “positive development” for the community.
“Any development in West Limerick which will improve the fortunes of small businesses, I am all for it,” he concluded.