Residents win appeal

The Derrygreenagh Park Residents Association say they are happy with a decision taken by An Bord Pleanala to refuse permission for the construction of a two storey dwelling with four bedrooms.An Bord Pleanala ruled against the application last week saying 'It is considered that the proposed development would conflict with the policies set out in the development plan and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.'The application for the house, which was made by D. Kelly and S Murphy, was previously granted permission subject to 11 conditions by Westmeath County Council on August 7, 2008. The Derrygreenagh Park Residents Association appealed that decision on the grounds that the estate was part of a residential conservation area marked out in the The Rochfortbridge Village Plan 2008-2014.Sean Lucy and Associates Ltd. on behalf of the Derrygreenagh Residents Association said in a letter to An Bord Pleanala that 'Only seven housing schemes were built by Bord na Móna, including this one at Rochfortbridge.The overriding ambition was to establish places with a sense of identity.'The whole complex and plan is most significant rather than the individual buildings. The addition of any new development into the coherent planned layout would be detrimental to the architectural, historical and social integrity of the design.'An Taisce, also in a letter to An Bord Pleanala agreed that 'The site is within an Architectural Conservation Area. Derrygreenagh Park is one of the finest examples of residential development design and housing planning of the mid 20th Century. The proposal (of an additional two storey house) would undermine the carefully designed symmetry of the scheme.'Hugh Byrne Secretary of the Rochfortbridge Development Group also expressed his concern regarding the two storey building saying that the sewerage system was already at capacity in Rochfortbridge and adding a house would be contrary to the "principles of sustainable development".He also feared that the proposed dwelling, if it were to go ahead, would set a precedent for other end houses to be developed in a similar way.Speaking about the decision Breda Daly of the Derrygreenagh Park Residents Association said: 'We are absolutely delighted with the An Bord Pleanala decision to overturn Westmeath County Council"s granting of permission to build an additional house in our estate.'The estate, which was designed by Frank Gibney and built by Bord na Móna in the mid 50"s, is an architectural conservation area and Derrygreenagh Park is one of the finest examples of residential development design and housing planning of the mid 20th Century.'While the appeal cost the residents of Derrygreenagh Park a lot, we feel it was money well spent and we would like to thank all those who helped us in the past year, in particular former resident Edward Byrne, Sean Lucy and Associates Ltd and the Rochfortbridge Development Group.'Parish Table QuizA Parish Table Quiz will take place in Bagnall"s Bar, Rochfortbridge on Friday, April 24 staring at 9pm.Everybody welcome.Easter ceremony times during Holy week in RochfortbridgeHoly Thursday: Mass of the Last Supper at 8pm in Rochfortbridge.Good Friday: Passion of the Lord at Rochfortbridge 3pm, and Milltownpass at 3pm, and Meedin 4.30pm.Stations of the Cross on Friday evening at 8pm in RochfortbridgeHoly Saturday: the Vigil of Easter in Rochfortbridge at 9pm.Confessions take place in Rochfortbridge on Saturday from 2 - 3pm and 7 - 8pm.Bishop"s visitBishop Smith will visit Milltownpass to celebrate 10 o"clock mass on Sunday, April 19. Everybody is welcome.Charity Fashiion ShowA charity fashion show in aid of the children of Chernobyl and hosted by St. Joseph"s Secondary School will take place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Thursday, April 23 at 7.30pm.Tickets costing €15 are available from St. Joseph"s and participating outlets including Benneton, Cosmo, Wisteria, Elegant Lady, Sassy, The Wardrobe, The Fashion Shop, Huge Daniels, Wilfs, Urban, Elverys and Chamarie.