Vol. 526 No. 2
104 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason Dúchas, the heritage service, withdrew its objections to a residential development at Big Meadow, Shannon Callows, in view of the fact this is one of the most significant corncrake locations here and that Birdwatch Ireland, among others, has objected to the perceived damage to one of our most threatened wildlife species. [26101/00]
The proposed housing development is the subject of a planning application which is with Athlone Urban District Council for determination under the local government planning and development code. My Department is not a party to such decision making process other than to offer advice and make recommendations, where warranted.
Following an initial assessment of the planning application by Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, it was considered that the proposed development would have a negative impact on the Middle Shannon Callows special protection area, SPA. In March 2000, my Department notified the council of its objection to the proposed development and recommended that planning permission be refused.
I understand that a number of issues were raised subsequently in relation to the inclusion of this development site in the proposed SPA and, accordingly, that a more comprehensive review of the conservation status of the development site was carried out by my Department. The review established that the development site itself did not contain any important habitat and its conservation value is not sufficient to warrant its future designation as a proposed conservation area.
I am advised that while the technical assessment of Dúchas, my Department's heritage service, now is that the proposed development would not have a significant negative impact on the adjacent SPA, concerns remain about possible adverse effects on corncrakes, who use the nearby area. Such concerns arise from possible disturbance to these fauna as a result of human and domestic pet activity and from light from the proposed dwellings, which would result from a development of this size. Accordingly, Dúchas has recommended some mitigation measures to the council and intimated in September 2000 that, if these measures were taken, objection to the proposed development could be withdrawn.
