All-weather pitch deemed unsuitable for rural location

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for a new football pitch in Treascon near Portarlington deeming it unsuitable for a rural location. The applicants, Peter Turley and David Mooney, received permission from Offaly County Council earlier this year to construct an all-weather playing pitch and to provide car parking, a storage shed, a new site entrance, floodlighting and associated site works. It would have been located on an existing field, 3.5km east of Portarlington in the townland of Treascon. The Board decided to uphold the inspector's recommendation to refuse planning permission on three counts and therefore reversing the decision made by the council on July 31. The Board said the proposed development would represent an "unsustainable form of development in a rural area" and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. The Board said that an unlit country road is unsuited as an access to an all-weather playing pitch which would attract children, pedestrians and cyclists. It is considered that the proposed development would "endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard". And the Board also ruled that the proposed construction of a pitch without changing or sanitary facilities in an isolated location, would "constitute substandard development", which would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. An Bord Pleanála also received two objections from the occupants of houses 40 metres to the northeast of the site and about 250 metres to the northwest. One of the letters objected on the basis that the site is less than 25 metres from the observer's house. It also objected to the floodlights, traffic generation, susceptibility to flooding, the destination of effluent from the inevitable changing facilities showers and toilets and inappropriateness in this rural area. The second observation expressed "incredulity" at the concept of an all-weather playing pitch in a small rural community, three miles from the nearest urban centre on a minor roadway. The observer said the road is hopelessly substandard with no road markings, no hard margins, no drainage and no lighting. The letter notes the total lack of plans for sewerage or sanitary facilities and questions where the users of this private amenity would go to the toilet. In his report to the Board, the Inspector said the floodlights would represent an incongruous and visually obtrusive element in this rural setting. He said that contrary to the report from the Office of Public Works the entire site, rather than a portion of the site, appears to be at risk of flooding. He also said he considered the third-class access road to be unsuited to the type of development proposed. The inspector also considered that the proposed development, in the absence of changing and toilet facilities, would constitute a substandard form of development. The applicants responded to the appeal. They said the risk of flooding of the site and adjacent sites was fully assessed and a satisfactory proposal submitted to the planning authority. There are no toilet or shower facilities intended at present so that there would be no risk of pollution. In relation to the lack of these facilities it is anticipated that members of the public would be aware of the lack of these facilities and would attend at the site in this knowledge. In relation to traffic, it is noted that the "nearby turkey farm" closed over five years ago. Two farms in the locality have indoor equestrian arenas, but these are privately owned and no public events take place. Tests were carried out in relation to the floodlighting and was to the satisfaction of the planning authority. The applicants also said that there was much local support for the proposed development, especially local clubs. They added that there are no all-weather pitches in Portarlington. Offaly County Council also appealed to the Board asking that it upholds the council's decision in the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.