*An artist’s impression of the proposed ballroom.
CLARE COUNTY Council has given the green light for a new ballroom at the US President Donald Trump-owned Trump Doonbeg golf resort.
However before work can commence on the permanent ballroom structure that will have capacity for 320 persons, the Council is requiring Trump Doonbeg firm, TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd to draw up a Management Plan for the protected snail, the 2mm Vertigo Angustior.
In one of the fourteen conditions attached to the permission, the Council has requested Trump Doonbeg to submit the Vertigo Angustior Management Plan to the Council for approval and the plan is to include conservation management actions to restore favourable status of the Vertigo Angustior on the Trump Doonbeg lands.
The rare snail is protected under the EU Habitats Directive and along with the Management Plan, Trump Doonbeg is to also draw up a programme of monitoring of the Vertigo Angustior to be agreed with State agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), for the maintenance of favourable conservation status.
The Council state that the reason for inserting the condition concerning the Vertigo Angustior is to provide for adequate protection measures for areas of conservation importance and to ensure compliance with the EU Habitats Directive.
As part of a raft of reports lodged with the planning application by the applicant firm, a report concluded that the proposed works “will have no impact on Vertigo Angustior, and no mitigation or further action is required”.
The Council granted planning permission for the proposal after concluding that the ballroom proposal would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity.
The planning authority has granted planning permission for the ballroom and other upgrade works at the resort after a wave of local support resulted in several local organisations, including Doonbeg GAA, Doonbeg’s Men’s Shed, and Doonbeg Community Development Ltd lodging submissions in support of the proposal.
The Council received 17 third party submissions and 13 were in favour of the proposal and Doonbeg GAA told the council that if granted, the proposed works “will significantly increase and enhance the tourism product on offer in the area and provide long term sustainable employment which is so badly needed”.
On the plan to replace existing “outdated” temporary events structures, including a marquee, with the new permanent ballroom, planning consultants for Trump Doonbeg, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds stated that the need for the ballroom “is reinforced by the socio-economic role of Trump International Golf Links and Hotel within West Clare”.
