Apartments decision for Mayo county town site appealed

PLANS for an apartment development at the site of the former Coal Bunker at the Pontoon Road/Turlough Road junction in Castlebar are under appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

Mayo County Council refused planning permission for the project but that decision has now been appealed by developer Harold Conway.

The proposal to build 19 apartments (10 two-bed and nine one-bed) in a part-four/part-five storey building at the site was the subject of number of objections by local residents, as well as three elected representatives - Councillors Blackie Gavin, Harry Barrett and Michael Kilcoyne.

Their concerns included over-development of a small site, excessive height and scale, the lack of parking, possible impact on the nearby HSE ambulance service based in the grounds of the Sacred Heart Hospital, and traffic hazard at what is a major junction, in close proximity to the Sacred Heart Hospital entrance, where patients use the adjacent footpath and pedestrian crossing.