The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, has criticised An Bord Pleanala for failing to approve plans for an affordable housing scheme in Co Galway.
The Minister, who is TD for Galway West, has described the planning appeal board's decision to uphold an appeal against the Turloughmore Housing Co-Op scheme as "one of the saddest planning decisions" he had seen. "I question the logic of the board in refusing it," he said yesterday.
The Minister said he was determined to see the scheme go through to provide homes for young people who might not otherwise be able to afford them.
The scheme, which was initiated with Mr Fahey's help, was aimed at young people who could not compete with current property prices but would not qualify for local authority housing.
Planning permission was sought for 39 houses and a sewage treatment plant, which the young buyers hoped to purchase for £65,000, at Lackaghmore, near Turloughmore, about 10 miles north-east of Galway city.
Permission was granted, subject to a list of conditions, by Galway County Council, but an appeal was lodged by the Lackaghmore Residents' Association and two local residents.
The appeal was upheld by An Bord Pleanala on two grounds. It said the proposed development would constitute excessive density of "suburban type" development in a predominantly rural area, and would be "prejudicial to public health" because of a lack of adequate drainage.
The Minister said he had asked Galway County Council to raise it at its next meeting with a view to redesignating the location as a village under the county development plan. This would overcome the appeals board's first objection that it was predominantly a rural area. The Minister said he was satisfied that new technology would solve the problems in relation to drainage.
Mr Jimmy Cooke, chairman of the Turloughmore Housing Co-Op, said that the group was "devastated" at the decision.
"From the very start, we were very careful to ensure that only genuine people trying to buy their first home - and not speculators - would be allowed into this scheme. After we got planning permission from the county council, we thought we were home and dry, but this has really set us back."
Ms Aileen McPhilbin, a young married woman, said it meant "another year of us renting and throwing good money down the drain". She said the co-op was determined to have the decision overturned.
However, Mr Robert Lawlor, chairman of the Lackaghmore Residents' Association, said he was "disappointed at the Minister's disappointment", given that An Bord Pleanala had given very detailed and comprehensive reasons for its decision.
"The site is unsuitable in terms of drainage, poses a public health hazard, and we do not have the infrastructure in the area for this scheme," Mr Lawlor, a veterinary surgeon, said.
