An Coimisiún Pleanála rejects apartment plans at old Donegal Town pottery workshop
Applicants fail to overturn Donegal County Council's decision to reject planning permission for six apartments
An application for the demolition of a Donegal Town derelict house and pottery workshop to build an apartment block has failed to gain planning permission for the second time.
Donegal County Council’s rejection of plans submitted by Stylo Estates Ltd to build an apartment block consisting of six two-bed apartments over three floors on Upper Main Street in Donegal Town was upheld by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The property is located in a prominent site, nearby to Aodh Rua National School and St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church.
Originally rejected by Donegal County Council in February 2025, an appeal for the application was submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála the next month.
An Coimisiún Pleanála considered the proposals to be “visually incongruous and overly dominant in the receiving landscape given the prominence of the site and approach into Donegal Town,” and that the proposed development “would be detrimental to the character of the area.”
The plans would also result in a “serious deficiency in the provision of natural light” and were considered that the “proposed development would be substandard in the provision of the residential amenity to serve the future occupants, would give rise to potential for overlooking of adjoining residential property.”
In its appeal, Stylo Estates Ltd argued that the proposed development was “not visually incongruous and overly dominant” and integrated “comfortably into the streetscape.”
Stylo Estates Ltd also said the density of the development, whilst high, “reflects the density recommended in the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlement Guidelines for large towns like Donegal Town.”
The site has been subject to other applications in the past. In 2006, permission was granted, subject to 18 conditions, for six apartments, but works did not proceed.
A year earlier, plans to construct two buildings and a total of 11 apartments were met with some objections to An Bord Pleanála, who refused permission on the grounds of overdevelopment.