Planning Ref. No.: PD/23/190, Applicant: Roscommon GAA

Development proposal: Permission for development consisting of the construction of the new Dermot Earley Centre of Excellence sports training facility, comprising of 3 no. new full-size grass pitches with approx. 15m & 20m high floodlighting, 2 no. new AstroTurf pitches and warm up areas, a seated spectator terrace, ball stops, a ball wall area, a perimeter walking/running track, a new amenity building incorporating offices, canteen, gym & dressing rooms with rooftop solar panels, a new maintenance building, car, bicycle and EV parking, internal access road, new vehicular entrance and exit off existing Industrial Estate road, boundary treatments, associated services connecting to existing services within the Industrial Estate, site access signage and building signage and all associated site development works at Racecourse Road, Ballyboughan, Roscommon.

Mary Grier, Senior Planner outlined the background to the project, the details which were already circulated with the agenda.  The Chief Executive’s report relates to planning application reference

No.: PD/23/190, Applicant: Roscommon GAA

The proposed development consists of the construction of the new Dermot Earley Centre of Excellence sports training facility, comprising of 3 no. new full-size grass pitches with approx. 15m & 20m high floodlighting, 2 no. new AstroTurf pitches and warm up areas, a seated spectator terrace, ball stops, a ball wall area, a perimeter walking/running track, a new amenity building incorporating offices, canteen, gym & dressing rooms with rooftop solar panels, a new maintenance building, car, bicycle and EV parking, internal access road, new vehicular entrance and exit off existing Industrial Estate road, boundary treatments, associated services connecting to existing services within the Industrial Estate, site access signage and building signage and all associated site development works at Racecourse Road, Ballyboughan, Roscommon.

Two small pockets of the subject site extend onto lands within the Ballyboughan Industrial Park and are currently zoned for “industrial use” within the Roscommon Town Local Area Plan.  This proposed development is therefore not compatible with the land use zoning provisions that apply to lands zoned for “industrial use”.  As the proposed location for this development is acceptable the material contravention process was initiated and the public consultation process took place from which 3 submissions were received and all issues were addressed satisfactorily. 

The Chief Executive’s report considers that the development is in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and recommends that the Members pass a resolution to materially contravene the Roscommon Town Local Area Plan 2014 – 2020 (Variation no. 1) in order to facilitate the granting of planning permission.

The members welcomed the development and discussed the following items:

·         Traffic impact for the area

·         The need to provide active travel routes and pedestrian access to the facility

·         The loss of two serviced sites that could be used for future enterprise and the need to provide additional serviced sites urgently

·         Special contribution of €30,000 towards a pedestrian crossing

·         There is an existing request for a pedestrian crossing in that area as The Irish Wheelchair Association is based out there

·         At pre-planning stage the proposal was to locate this development on unzoned lands outside the area of the Roscommon Local Area Plan and therefore it would not have required a material contravention

·         Roscommon Local Area plan has expired

·         The material contravention was not advertised in the local papers giving less opportunity for the public to make submissions

·         The trench testing as requested by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was not addressed by the developer at further information stage and is being addressed by way of condition on the granting of planning permission

·         Detailed pesticide information should have been provided and 

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Leyden

            SECONDED by Councillor Shanagherto request the planning department to consider amending condition no.12 regarding the submission of a pesticide management plan to include reference to the new Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sustainable use of plant protection products that amends Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 to ensure that there is a ban on pesticide use in all sensitive areas. 

Mary Grier, Senior Planner responded to the matters raised:

·         Two rounds of pre-planning discussions occurred, with the second round of discussions including consideration of revised proposals which included lands within the industrial estate. Advice was given at that stage that it would materially contravene the Roscommon Town Local Area Plan

·         Land use zoning in Variation No. 1 of the Roscommon Town Local Area Plan 2014-2020 remains a material consideration until a new LAP is adopted.  The material contravention process does not alter the zoning of the industrially zoned lands.  The material contravention process is the appropriate process to initiate in order that permission may be granted, despite the proposal contravening the land use zoning

·         The existing zoning of lands remain in place until a new plan is adopted, with zoning considered separately in the new plan making process

·         In terms of the overall traffic impact the proposal has been considered by the TII and also by our roads department.  A traffic and transport assessment and a road safety audit was also submitted

·         The material contravention was required, as per legislation, to be advertised in a national daily newspaper

·         As regards public consultation, in addition to the opportunity in respect of the material contravention, there was opportunity locally to make submissions in the initial five-week period following the submission of the application, and again on receipt of further information which was advertised locally as significant 

·         There is sufficiency in condition no. 12 re. the pesticide management condition to address the concerns of Cllr. Leyden and to give scope to take account of new legislation that may come forward.  The pesticide management plan will be forwarded to our Environment Department, as part of the compliance process, to ensure that it complies with all current legislation and requirements

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Dineen

            SECONDED by Councillor McDermott

It was AGREED that the Council unanimously approve the Material Contravention of the Roscommon Town Local Area Plan 2014 – 2020 (Variation No. 1).

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Leyden

            SECONDED by Councillor Shanagher

It was AGREED that a letter be sent from the Roscommon MD members to the Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council seeking additional serviced sites to replace the sites that will be lost due to this new development aiming for a minimum of 10 – 15 additional sites.

The members thanked the Planning Department for the extensive work carried out on this planning application and wished Roscommon GAA every success with this development.