Ballintra holiday village gets green light as Council decision overturned

A decision to refuse planning permission for a holiday village in Ballintra has been overturned by An Bord Pleanála.

C&C Property Investment Limited were initially denied permission by Donegal County Council, but they have now been given the go ahead for the development at Lower Main Street, Ballintra.

The developer plans to change 10 dwellings houses (eight existing and two proposed) to a commercial holiday village.

The planning documents, submitted in 2023, included provision for connection to existing services and all associated works.

C and C Property Investments Limited, care of Harley Planning Consultants Limited of 1 Melmount Park, Strabane, County Tyrone, appealed the decision of Donegal County Council to An Bord Pleanála.

The permission is subject to three conditions.

The development shall be carried out and completed in accordance with the plans and particulars lodged with the application.

The units in the commercial holiday village shall not be sold off separately. The applicant, or its successor in title, shall control this commercial holiday village for short-term lettings to visitors.

Prior to the change of use to a commercial holiday village, the applicant, or its successor in title, shall submit to the planning authority for written agreement, a management plan for this holiday village, which shall set out the obligations upon visitors who short-term let.

Previously, Donegal County Council felt that granting permission “would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments” and that it would “materially contravene the policy provisions of the Co Donegal Development Plan and would thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

The Council told the developer that giving the green light would be “detrimental to regeneration and potential use of existing residential stock in Ballintra and detract from established resource-related tourism accommodation elsewhere in the county”.

However, An Bord Pleanála has found that the development as proposed “would not materially contravene and would otherwise accord with relevant tourism objectives and policies of the development plan”.

The planning body say that, subject to the conditions it attached, the proposed holiday accommodation “would be compatible with the residential amenities of the area”.