Strong turnout in opposition to Derg Marina Developer’s planning application
Over one hundred and fifty people turned out in Ballina last night at a public meeting in protest at the planning application to develop a high-rise apartment complex at the Derg Marina.
The meeting, which was organized by the Ballina Marina Action Group, reflected strong opposition among local residents to developer’s proposals to build a mixed development which includes an apartment complex which rises to over five storeys on the marina site.
The BMAG -organized meeting, chaired by local Ballina resident Bríd Stanley comprised campaign spokesperson, Joe Cahalane, planning consultant Tim O’Brien, trustee of Lough Derg Yacht club, Geoff O’Donoghue and marine biologist Dr. Dan Minchin.
Addressing the packed hall, BMAG spokesman Joe Cahalane urged local residents to lodge planning objections to what he described as the ‘totally inappropriate development being proposed for a marina in a small lakeside heritage town, a development that would further erode the services the marina can offer.’.
Mr. Cahalane claimed that the “scale and density, the impact on the sensitive lakeside environment and the pressure on local infrastructure were the main reasons for opposing the developer’s proposals”.
He said that “the meeting reflected the considerable unease among local residents for a high-rise apartment block in an area renowned for its heritage and waterway features”.
Mr. Geoff O’Donoghue, a trustee of Lough Derg Yacht club, who has fifty years of boating experience at national and international level, told the meeting that as he understood it, under the current County Council Development plan, the marina is designated as an integrated tourist area. However, he said that the developer’s planning application is for a residential development with boat berthing and could not be described, in any sense of the word, as a marina.”
Marine biologist, Dr. Dan Minchin told the meeting that it was “inexplicable that no Environmental Impact Assessment was being submitted for such a massive development beside a Special Protection Area (SPA), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a National Heritage Area (pNHA) in a recognised heritage town.”
The meeting was also addressed by local politicians Fine Gael councillor Phyll Bugler, Fianna Fáil councillor John Sheehy, Labour senator Alan Kelly and Fianna Fáil Junior Minister Máire Hoctor.