Plan for Longford glamping site refused

A proposed glamping tourism development for north Longford has been refused planning permission due to what has been described as its 'location within an area of high landscape sensitivity'.

The applicant Padraig Reilly had submitted plans with Longford County Council seeking permission to construct four glamping pods and one multi-use pod at Drumhalry, Moyne.

Also incorporated with the development was a utility/storage shed, parking, signage (2m2), biodiversity landscaping with pond, bored well, lighting, soak pit, new/augmented entrance, gates, boundary walls, piers and fencing, proprietary wastewater treatment unit and percolation area and all ancillary site works.

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The application was received on September 10 last year and October 14 was the closing date for submissions in relation to the proposed development.

The decision date is listed as December 23, 2024.

The reasons listed for the refusal included that the proposed development site is situated adjacent to Lough Gowna and located within the broad zone of the lake and broad zone areas as set out in the Longford County Development Plan 2021–2027.

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The planners described it "as being of high amenity and landscape quality in relation to their setting and, as such, required to be protected from inappropriate development, (such as) a development which adversely affects high amenity and landscape quality in relation to their setting".

The planners also ruled that they considered that the proposed development due to its location within an area of high landscape sensitivity and its size, layout and design would be "visually obtrusive and have a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the surrounding landscape having regard to Policy CPO 14.19 of the Longford County Development".

Four submissions were lodged, two of which were submitted by Ciaran and Laura McCabe on October 10 and October 20 last year.

The other submissions were lodged by NEHS (HSE) on September 17, 2024 and Uisce Éireann on September 21, 2024.