Ambitious Longford glamping project hits stumbling block as appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanála

Raymond and Ann Brogan made the initial application for the development at Glebe, Cloondara Longford to the local authority planners in December of last year.

The planners approved the glamping site in March subject to 18 conditions.

In the Inspector Report it noted that the county development plan looks to promote tourism and tourism products in the county.

The local authority received six submissions on the file, two were from Scoil Mhuire, Clondra and two from the HSE.

The council's permission allowed for the development of 10 glamping pods, the conversion of existing shed to communal toilet facility and shower room.

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Other features of the site are kitchen, diner, laundry and drying, games room, car parking bays, and bicycle stands.

The site is adjacent to the Royal Canal and the permission covers a pedestrian entrance onto the canal path.

Architectural firm Vitruvius Hibernicus, led by Longford architect Liam Madden, has appealed the council approval to An Bord Pleanála on behalf of the Board of Management of Clondra NS.

The objections raised by the architect are similar to those brought to the attention of the council planners; issues regarding the maps submitted as part of the application, the author's concerns regarding water levels of the canal, and zoning.

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Mr Madden suggested in his An Bord Pleanála submission that campers “could be supplied with snorkels” and went on to suggest that “glamorous camping is a whimsical flash-in-the-pan fad” and 'not commercially viable'.

The architect concluded his letter to the planning authority with a PS asking: “Inspector would you go on holidays to one of these pods?”