Man considers legal action over golf course

A CLARE man is considering taking legal action against his county council over the alleged altering of planning documents at a €25m golf course development.

David McNamara of Parteen was late in lodging an initial objection to the building of a 33-bedroom hotel and 48 houses at the Greg Norman-designed Doonbeg course. However, the council later admitted errors were made in date-stamping the application.

The golf club and the council insist that they have receipts to prove the application was submitted on April 4, rather than April 16, the date originally stamped on the file.

Mr McNamara may seek a judicial review of the planning permission and if that fails he will consider taking a civil case. Clare gardaí confirmed in January that they were investigating allegations that planning documents for the Doonbeg hotel and holiday home development were altered.

The Flood Tribunal is also examining a call to investigate the planning permission granted to Doonbeg Golf Club Limited.

An Taisce has requested that the Department of Environment and Local Government examine papers sent by Clare County Council to Bord Pleanala last June.

Clare County Council has said it will fully co-operate with any investigation into the Doonbeg planning file. The council granted planning to Doonbeg Golf Club last May to build the 33-bedroom hotel and 48 houses.

The course is already closely monitored by environmentalists and a number of natural features on the course are protected.

More than €3 million from the European Regional Development Fund was allocated to finance the course which opened in July.

There were lengthy planning delays at Doonbeg when parts of the natural environment had to be protected by course designers. These included the Vertigo Angustior, a rare 2mm-size snail, and acres of grey sand dunes.