Golf club told to knock 8ft wall

DOONBEG Golf Club has been given until the end of July to demolish an eight-foot high wall reportedly built without planning permission.

In an enforcement notice served on the club under the planning acts, Clare County Council warned it will have no option but to initiate legal proceedings unless the wall is demolished. A July 29 deadline has been set for the wall to be taken down.

The council’s move came more than four months after An Bord Pleanála refused planning retention to the club for the wall following an appeal by Cree man, James McNulty that overturned a council decision to give the wall the go-ahead.

The club constructed the wall in 2004 to stop people accessing Doughmore beach by vehicle crossing the 4th and 14th fairways. The club provided an alternative footpath to the beach.

In 2009, the members of Clare County Council voted overwhelmingly to extinguish the right-of-way leading to the wall and provided an alternative right-of-way a short distance away.

However, Mr McNulty, who was successful in appealing the council’s decision, has taken a High Court judicial review of the councillors’ decision and a hearing of the case has yet to take place with over 15 affidavits lodged with the court to date.

Mr McNulty has initiated separate proceedings in the circuit court seeking an order that Doonbeg Golf Club demolish the wall and that case is due to be heard later this year.

In its ruling, the board ruled that it was not satisfied the wall would not result in the obstruction of a right-of-way in the absence of an outcome to the judicial review of Clare County Council’s decision to revise the rights of way in this locality. “Without such certainty, it is considered that the proposed development, which is for a retention permission, would be contrary to the policy of protecting public rights of way and keeping them free from obstruction.”