The elected members of the Ballina Electoral Area Committee this week called on senior planner for Mayo County Council, John McMyler, to look again at an application that is down for refusal.
The application from Matthew and Paul Hackett, Moy View, Arbuckle Row, Ballina, is to construct an industrial type building to be used as a commercial vehicle testing centre at Culleens, Killala Road, Ballina. Mr McMyler told the members that the application was down for refusal for two reasons, the first that it was along a road which had a 100km speed limit and was therefore contrary to proper planning, and the second reason was that the lands had not been zoned for industrial or commercial use in the last county development plan.
“Sometimes it looks like we pay more attention to rules and regulations than jobs,” Independent councillor Gerry Ginty told the meeting. “Any jobs that we can aid in creating is something that we should do.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Annie May Reape said she could not see why this application would be refused. “There is already an existing building there where the applicants along with their father run a repair business,” she said. “This would be a huge addition to this business and would create some extra employment in the area and give people the choice of getting their heavy goods vehicles tested in Ballina rather than having to go all the way to Castlebar to get it done.”
The suggestion to have the case looked at again was supported by all the other elected members. Mr McMyler told the meeting that the decision would be made by March 14. He also told the meeting that the council has received one objection to the application and that it had been in contact with the applicants in regards to further information on the application.
