New Local Area Plan for Buncrana

A new Local Area Plan (LAP) for Buncrana, Donegal's second largest town, will begin in a month's time.

Cllr Rena Donaghey (Fianna Fáil) said she and the other Buncrana councillors have been lobbying for the start of the plan for the last two years.

She said: "I have  been repeatedly asking that the LAP be allowed to run in tandem with the ongoing Letterkenny LAP but I was consistently told, with COVID, there was not enough staff available.

"At a meeting last week, specifically on this very issue, councillors were told a bit of good and welcome news. The senior planners have agreed that three plans will be built together with the review of Donegal County Council's Plan: Buncrana, Bundoran and Ballybofey/Stranorlar. This means all of the necessary assessments can be done as one, saving a lot of time. Formal notices will go out into papers by 8/4/2022 and it is anticipated the plan will be concluded by December 2023.

"Buncrana is particularly suffering because of the critical MICA situation here. Buncrana has 75% of Inishowen's MICA homes and a huge chunk of our land here is under a zoning that doesn't allow for housing developments.  We need to have the land in the environs of Buncrana re-zoned.  I have a number of couples who want to build on their land in the 'Agriculture Rural Area' of the town and they are currently precluded.  It's so hard to tell young couples that they cannot start a home for themselves on their own land. MICA homes have been worsened with recent storms and people have told me that they are living on their nerves.  It's imminent that some MICA house will have to be demolished in the town soon.  

"Buncrana has a huge social housing waiting list, it's in excess of 400 and there is not one house available for renting.  There is a waiting list with each of the estate agents for over two years now.  

"I want to thank the senior planning office for listening to us and including us with county Donegal's review of its plan. Resources are a key component to progress this work and deliver for the people of the county. This is a much faster route. Our plan will be delivered one year earlier.  I have asked the planning section if they are being over ambitious and I was told that they feel it is challenging but will be doable," said Cllr Donaghey.