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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s planning committee have signed off on a planning application for a Recreational Hub at Camlough Lake without further scrutiny in chambers.
The proposed development is for "a ‘Recreational Hub’ to provide facilities for both water and non-water based activities at the lake. Development includes a single storey multi-use building, outdoor space with external showers, changing facilities, slipway and floating pontoon, kayak storage, picnic areas, vehicular turning and separate bus and car parking areas.
"Upgrade of existing vehicular access off the Newtown Road for the provision of entrance of cars and buses, exit lane for cars and associated visibility splays. Separate bus exit point provided onto the Newtown Road to the northwest of the site. Vehicular access track and separate pedestrian pathways provided from the Newtown Road to the ‘Hub’ facility. Proposal includes landscaping scheme, boundary fencing, drainage system and all associated site works."
The development, which the committee passed on an approval list, had been mooted from 2017 in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The chamber heard one query on the development during another item on the agenda.
Mournes councillor Michael Rice said: “We have on the agenda Camlough Lake with around 17% of green space lost and recommended for approval, yet we also have on the agenda at the Warrenpoint community hub there would be 6% lost and it is up for refusal.
“I am just curious as to why one was ok and other not, based on policy.”
An officer responded: “There are stark contrasts. Camlough Lake is obviously not a designated area of open space, where the Warrenpoint application is a designated area of space at Clonallon Park.”
The Warrenpoint application was for a new £7.4m community hub, which was approved after councillors overturned a recommended planning refusal.
The water hub at Camlough Lake will enhance facilities for existing users, support outdoor sport and recreation, boost tourism within the Ring of Gullion AONB and deliver accessible, year-round community space.
The lake has previously been the focus of regular water testing by the council which led to a closure last summer due to public health hazard concerns.
However, despite testing, the local authority told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that is does not hold any records of the potential pollutants in the water.
The council’s recent economy, regeneration and tourism committee has now agreed to engage with DAERA to support improvements in the quality of open water ways in the district.
