Everyone should calm down! Since the announcement of the Bord Pleanala decision on Atlantic Homecare at Drumlonagher, the town has been hyper. Rumour, innuendo and accusations are the order of the day - and some of the things said on sound media could certainly have been more temperate.
But despite majority opinion in the locality, Donegal Town is not unique in having planning difficulties. Problems with competing developers, objectors, An Taisce, and An Bord Pleanala, are the rule rather than the exception all over the country. A Tesco store was refused in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, last week because the Bord ruled it was too far out and ‘would adversly impact on the town centre’. Also it is reported that the Tesco store in Ballybofey has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala. But, as in all walks of life, when a problem occurs, everyone thinks it only happens to them.
Not the case! There is so much money to be made by developing land in the centre and periphery of every middle-sized and large town around Ireland, that each inch is being competed for, raising prices to multi-million levels. With so much at stake, competition is intense!
So let us slow down and reflect. What is created now is what we will hand on to our descendents. Your children, grandchildren and right down the line will have to live with decisions made on our watch. All right, disappointingly, the proposed development at Drumlonagher has been shot down. This moves the action closer to town and brings the Mullans, Mart and Magees into play - not to forget Millers Hill. Maybe, in the long run, this could be beneficial.
The whole scenario should not be about short-term gain - we have been without major commercial development up ‘till now - if it takes a while longer to get the thing right - then so be it! In our opinion, the nearer to the centre initial development takes place - the better for the old town.
We back Bennetts getting planning at Drimlonagher but would like to see their site at Mullans developed first. The same with Keeney - Magees before Revlin. The mart and Bosco are valuable sites - either would make an ideal base for Atlantic - but nobody knows what way they’ll fall - if the mart had gone with the Keeney plan, construction may have commenced already.
Older people looking back over their lives can see how things that did, or didn’t, transpire often had an advantageous effect on subsequent events. “It was meant to happen” they will say. Maybe this is also the case with current perceived setbacks and adverse decisions.
Let us be patient - Donegal will develop - but it could take time. We have a magnificiently planned and naturally endowed town - whatever happens in the coming years can either add to, or, God forbid, take away from its attractions. The one thing we don’t need is a split in our community. Together we have strength - divided we lose our voice and ability to influence the direction in which our town progresses.