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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Work at the site at Grange, Inch has been continuing in recently despite an order for it to cease being issued in early 2021
Unauthorised development is continuing at a site on the shore at Inch despite Donegal County Council issuing an order for the work to stop more than 18 months ago.
The work on a six-acre field at Grange close to Inch pier, which is in the Lough Swilly special area of conservation, has been continuing on and off since 2020. No planning permission has been sought for the work.
The county council issued an enforcement notice in relation to the work in December 2020.
Since then, a small building has been erected on the site and substantial work has been carried out, including the removal of natural vegetation which was a habitat for wildlife, the construction of a roadway through the site and the creation of an entrance onto the shore which involved the moving of a rock formation on the shore.
A portion of the site has been levelled and replaced with a large stone platform.
Locals say hundreds of tonnes of soil have been removed from the site and there is concern that the original landscape has been changed completely.
Water connections and electric and phone line service junction boxes have been installed and an ESB subcontractor has been on site in recent days erecting electricity poles.
A hard gravel platform has been created at the entrance to the site close to the public road.
The council enforcement order, which was sent by registered post to the landowner but not received, was mounted on the gate to the site in February 2021 but has since been removed.
The original notice called for the work to cease within eight weeks of December 9, 2020. Due to the non-delivery of the enforcement order in December 2020 the date for compliance was extended to early April 2021.
The order called for the removal of the roadway and the replacement of 100mm of soil to restore the site to its original state for agricultural use.
The council also called for the removal of a stone platform and the removal of the access to the beach and the replanting of trees and vegetation compatible with the adjoining species.
The landowner has also been ordered to remove all water and electrical infrastructure from the site.
A spokesman for the ESB said it is obliged to cooperate with all applications for connection that are in order and conform with safety requirements.
Donegal County Council has not responded to a request to comment on the case.
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This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
