Ownership query over key site in Westport

Fears have been expressed that over 12 hectares of land in Westport, which has been zoned for housing, may be lost because ownership does not lie exclusively with Mayo County Council.

Raising the matter at the July meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr Brendan Mulroy, requested a report from management on the matter. Cllr Mulroy noted that he and fellow councillor peter Flynn approved a council planning application for the site at Cloonmonad over a decade ago when they were both members of Westport Town Council. The site is adjacent to the Great Western Greenway and the skate park. 

“I would have presumed ownership of the land would have been sorted with that but I understand that is now an issue. I hope the council had their maths and everything done on the day because you can’t be passing a Part 8 planning permission if you didn’t own the land and my understanding is you didn’t own it.” 

He added that while he understood the existing car park at the greenway site is currently in council ownership, it is not owned by the council.

Director of Services Catherine McConnell said the council was trying to gather all relevant files from its planning section and the solicitor who historically acted for the local authority She hoped the report would be ready for circulation by September. 

Cllr Mulroy added: “I appreciate how complex this is but my concern is I sat as part of a council that passed this for planning yet I have a document in front of me that quite clearly shows the folio number of the land was not in the ownership of the council.” 

The Director of Services replied: “There were always multiple ownership issues here. It was agreed that certain elements would be funded by private developers who would be the main beneficiaries.” 

Cllr Peter Flynn also expressed frustration.

“This is 12.5 hectares of critical land that has been zoned residential. If there is a legal issue with this, it really throws our development plan into turmoil. This will determine the landscape of Westport over the coming years yet the land is potentially land-locked.

“There is also another site across from the greenway that has been de-zoned. I am not sure why, but this is where we had a 134-house planning permission in the past. It was strategic reserve zoning.” 

He added that he had personally been in contact with the Office of the Planning Regulator, only to discover that the de-zoning had occurred without anyone from the office even visiting the site. 

Acting head of the district, Jim Power, said that a report on the matter would be made available to members by September.