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Council probes mobile holiday
homes
21.07.11
by Linda McGrory
DONEGAL County Council is to investigate a
development of mobile homes and caravans at a
Special Area of Conservation on the Inishowen
peninsula.
The move follows complaints made by the Inishowen
Wildlife Club to the council and the National Parks
and Wildlife Service (NPWS) about the development at
White Strand, a secluded stony beach at Culoort,
Malin Head.
Up to 24 individually-owned mobile homes - at two
locations on the beach - appear to be located on or
near the foreshore. The local wildlife club has
asked the authorities to investigate whether they
have planning permission or access to proper sewage
or waste disposal. The beach which is exposed to the
Atlantic ocean, is home to a number of rare and
protected species including nesting ringed plovers,
peregrine falcons and twite. The oyster plant is
also found in abundance at one of the sites, where
eight of the mobile homes are situated.
The majority of the mobile holiday home owners are
from Derry or other parts of Northern Ireland.
Some of them have erected permanent decking
structures and paving stones around their
properties.
Inishowen Wildlife Club joint secretary, Peter
White, said they brought the long-running issue to
the attention of the local authority and the NPWS
four years ago. But he said the problem has
"deteriorated since then".
"There are a number of mobile homes on the site. We
very much doubt that these mobile homes have proper
utilities. Where does the sewage go? Also in
evidence around these mobile homes is the use of
weed killer and concrete paving stones," he said.
"We are not against people enjoying this beautiful
site. All we ask is that everybody treat it with
respect."
Donegal County Council yesterday acknowledged
receipt of a letter of complaint from the Inishowen
Wildlife Club.
A spokesperson said: "Correspondence from the
Inishowen Wildlife Club about Culoort has been
received by the planning office and the matter will
be actively investigated." |
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Some of the mobile homes located on
the secluded beach at Culoort, Malin Head. |
Local sources in Malin
Head say the first of the mobile homes could have
been put on the site as early as the 1990s, growing
in numbers significantly over the years. Malin Head
Community Association chairman, Robert Farren,
invited anyone with a "genuine grievance" about the
area to contact his organisation.
Attempts to get a contact name and number for any of
the mobile home owners were unsuccessful.
A spokesperson for the NPWS said "The National Parks
and Wildlife Service recently received a letter
relating to this matter from the Inishowen Wildlife
Club. They (the NPWS) have written to the Planning
Department of Donegal County Council expressing
concern at the spread of these structures and
associated works." The spokesperson added that the
NPWS would continue to liaise with the Donagal
County Council on the matter.
Meanwhile, Inishowen Wildlife Club chairman, Dermot
McLaughlin said the local authority and the National
Parks and Wildlife Service could now find themselves
on a collision course with the EU as Culoort had
been designated as a Special Protection Area. |
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