Equestrian Centre to retain storage yard

Cavan Equestrian Centre has been granted planning permission to retain a storage yard at the facility at Latt on the outskirts of Cavan Town.

Mervyn Clarke was given the green light for the development, which includes a storage compound and yard area as ancillary space for equestrian use, including stockpiling of materials, equestrian props, storage containers, surplus lorry parking and associated works.

Cavan County Council granted planning permission on October 24 last subject to four conditions being met.

The development plans attracted one third party submission on the planning file from a neighbouring property owner, Barry Galligan, Latt, in November 2021. In it, he contended that Mr Clarke bulldozed a Drumlin top to create a dump without planning permission. The activity, he said, resulted in flooding of a laneway used by Mr Galligan who deemed the laneway as “almost impassable”. The bulldozing, he said, also created an embankment which is two metres over a neighbour’s wall causing water seepage into their garden.

The submission also contended that large quantities of waste material was dumped, as well as citing road safety concerns, impacted views and potential impact on neighbouring property prices.

Mr Clarke submitted significant further information on the planning file including an Environmental Impact Report, a habitat study and a site layout plan.

In relation to stockpiling on site, Mr Clarke said that the material includes ‘road planing, topsoil, crushed rock/hardcore in individual piles, all associated with the operation of the equestrian centre’.

He added that there were no other stockpiles within the compound other than occasional hardcore from a quarry for the sole use in the current formation of arenas.

The applicant said that the materials stored are ‘inert and don’t contain contaminants’. He further stated that the surface of the compound is compacted gravel, which does not require a drainage system.

Mr Clarke also contended that the proposed development would not result in additional traffic.

Conditions of the planning permission include that materials stored on site shall be restricted to those materials that are ancillary to the operation of the equestrian centre and materials required for the general maintenance and upkeep of the facility.

A height restriction of three meters above ground level was also placed on the storage; and that it must not be positioned within 10 meters of the site boundaries.

It also stipulated that no waste should be stored on site including construction and demolition waste.

The local authority also stated that uncontaminated surface run-off within the development must be collected and managed in accordance with the details outlined on the site layout map.