West Offaly artists' commune turned down over conservation concerns

CONSERVATION concerns resulted in Offaly County Council turning down a plan for an off-grid artists' commune in west Offaly.

Council planners said the proposal lodged by businessman Tony Kilduff for a site in Clonfinlough could adversely affect the Fin Lough Special Area of Conservation.

Fin Lough was designed as a special area of conservation because of the presence of alkaline fen (peatland vegetation) and the rare Geyer's Whorl snail, the Vertigo geyeri.

The council said information submitted with the application was inadequate and failed to consider the potential cumulative pressures on groundwater levels in Fin Lough.

Fin Lough is 640 metres from the site and is connected to it by a stream which is 20 metres from where the development was proposed.

The waterbody was described as already 'at risk' in a planner's report and there were concerns about run-off of pollutants and the spread of invasive species.

A planner's report said: “While the current proposed development may not have significant effects on surface water and groundwater quantity and quality in the immediate vicinity of the site, any potential contribution over time to cumulative pressures (particularly on groundwater water levels) in Fin Lough are not clear.”

It said neither a hydrological impact assessment or a natura impact statement adequately addressed the issue.

Tony Kilduff applied for permission to build studios on a small part of a 40-acre site he bought in his home area, Clonfinlough, near Clonmacnoise.

According to his proposal to the council, the idea was to foster creativity in a quiet and eco-friendly environment that would be economically viable.

It was intended to keep a small group of buildings heated and cooled by solar power gathered via photovoltaic panels laid out at ground level and served by a small shed with a battery storage facility.

“It is proposed that the development will be used as a non-profit, workshop type model and as such will only facilitate artists or people connected with the arts and education in that discipline,” the council was told.

Kilduff has been an honorary council member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, which supports artists.

The development at 'Lakelands', Clonfinlough proposed the refurbishment of an old farm cottage and the construction of four single storey dwellings, three of which were to function as artist studio units. The fourth was to be a two-bed house.

The cottage was to be repurposed as a communal kitchen and dining area with an extension to provide a toilet block.

There was a well at the site but a new one was drilled which was to be used for drinking water and water for other uses was to come from rainwater harvesting tanks.

Test trenches which were dug at the site identified no evidence of archaeological activity there and no further archaeological mitigation measures were recommended.