Part VIII Letterkenny Active Travel Project - R229 Kilmacrennan Road

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000 – SECTION 179

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2001 – ARTICLE 81

NOTICE PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 81 OF PART 8 OF THE ABOVE REGULATIONS (“the Regulations”), RELATING TO A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BY DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL

Letterkenny Active Travel Project - Convent Road

TAKE NOTICE that Donegal County Council (“the Council”) proposes to carry out the development specified in paragraph (b) below and in relation thereto:-

1. The location of the development is as shown on the site location map included in the plans and particulars referred to at paragraph (e) below, generally along R-229-1 Kilmacrennan Road from the Hospital Roundabout to Knocknamona Roundabout.
2. The nature and extent of the proposed development is as follows:-
   • Removal of existing right-turning lanes and narrowing of the existing carriageway to 6.5m width generally.
   • Reduction of existing junction radii at side roads along with provision of uncontrolled pedestrian crossings.
   • Provision of a two-way cycle facility along the western side of the road.
   • Provision of signalized segregated (pedestrian/cycle) crossings at north, west and south arms of Hospital Roundabout.
   • Retention of the existing footpath along the eastern side of the road and provision of a footpath along the western side of the road.
   • At Letterkenny University Hospital, provision of a toucan crossing with shared surface and bicycle parking.
   • Land acquisition and verge widening around Letterkenny University Hospital.
   • At Errigal College, provision of bus parking lay-bys, footways, set-down area and a signalized pedestrian/cycle (toucan) crossing of Kilmacrennan Road and connecting shared (pedestrian/cycle facility.
   • Provision of two-way cycle facility, footpaths and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings at Knocknamona roundabout with land acquisition southeast of the roundabout.
   • Removal of Vegetation where required for active travel works described. 
   • All other ancillary and tie-in works to relevant standards.

All associated ancillary site works shall be located along the length of Kilmacrennan Road. It is noted that adjacent developments are proposed as part of the Letterkenny Active Travel Project at: L-1007-0 Circular Road, west of Hospital Roundabout; L-1005-1 High Road, south of Hospital Roundabout; and the Northern Network Project around L-1152-1 Windy Hall Road, west of Knocknamona Roundabout. The proposed development on Convent Road will tie into any proposals arising from these schemes.

3. The proposed development is sub-threshold for the purposes of Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) per Article 92 of the Regulations and the Council has concluded on the basis of a Preliminary Examination of the nature, location and size of the proposed development in accordance with Article 120 (1)(b)(i) thereof that there is no real likelihood of significant effects on the environment arising from the proposed development and that Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) is not required. A copy of this Preliminary Examination and conclusion will be available for inspection or purchase along with the documents referred to at paragraph (e) below.  

Where however any person considers that the proposed development to be carried out by the Council would be likely to have significant effects on the environment, he or she may at any time before the expiration of 4 weeks beginning of the date of publication of this notice apply under Article 120(3)(b) of the Regulations to An Bord Pleanala (64 Marlborough Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D01 V902) for a screening determination as to whether the development would be likely to have such effects. 

4. In order to ascertain whether the proposed development required Appropriate Assessment (“AA”) the Council carried out a screening of same in accordance with Article 250(1) of the Regulations and made a determination in view of best scientific knowledge that the development individually or in combination with other plans or projects would not be likely to have a significant effect on a European site in view of the site’s conservation objectives and that AA was not required.  A copy of this determination including the main reasons and considerations on which the determination was based will be available for inspection or purchase along with the documents referred to at paragraph (e) below.  

Where however any person considers that the proposed development to be carried out by the Council would be likely to have a significant effect on a European Site, he or she  may apply  under Article 250(3)(b) of the Regulations to  An Bord Pleanala (64 Marlborough Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D01 V902) for a determination as to whether the development would be likely to have such significant effect and the Board will make a determination on the matter as soon as possible.  Any application for such determination in order to be considered by the Board must state the reasons for the forming of the view that the development would be likely to have a significant effect on a European Site.

5. Plans and particulars of the proposed development will be available for inspection online at www.donegalcoco.ie or for inspection at the Council’s offices below and purchase (at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy) at:

The said plans and particulars will be available for inspection as above from 9am Friday 15^th December 2023 until 4pm on Tuesday, 23^rd January 2024 (both dates inclusive).

6. Submissions and observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development is situated may be made in writing to The County Secretariat Office, Donegal County Council, Lifford, County Donegal, or via the “MAKE A SUBMISSION” button on the project specific page on the https://consult.donegal.ie/browse website before 4.00pm on Friday, 9^th February 2024. Please mark the front of the envelope with the project name as per the above schedule.

Link to Part 8 Report: - Part VIII - R229 Kilmacrennan Rd - Report_0.pdf

Link to Drawings: - Part VIII - R229 Kilmacrennan Rd - Drawings_0.pdf