Munster Express Online

Sir,

Regarding Islandikane’s revised plan for our southern coastline which is on display at the County Council offices in Tramore, it is mentioned in a number of places (pages 3, 4 and that any visual impact from a southerly vantage point is minimal.

This is an extremely limited vantage point as it is not generally available to the public. It is confined to the occasional beach walkers at low tide or sea goers. (On page 3 the sea-goers are also referred to as limited though in what way limited it doesnt state.)

Firstly I would’ve thought that beach walkers and sea-goers ARE the general public and count as such whether they are in town or on the beach or on the sea.

Secondly the words ‘occasional’ and ‘limited’ are not just misleading but totally incorrect as any of the tens of thousands-not thousands, tens of thousands – of year-round beach walkers and sea goers and other users of the area will tell you. It is very rare to be alone on either Kilfarrassy or Garrarus beach for more than 5 minutes.

According to the developers, “The subject site contains undulating pastureland that could not be described as distinctive at any point along the southern seaboard.”

Well I’d like to see them using that quote in their promotional material. If its not distinctive in any way surely they could find another undistinctive site further inland? That way we would all be happy? No?

A number of photo montages accompany this report. The sites have been carefully chosen and the photographs taken from far away and before the seasonal hedge cutting took place. However the developers cannot hide the ugliness of the large grey houses spilling down the ravine to Garrarus beach. If this is a complimentary view of the site I dread to think of what the outcome will be.

As regards employment, can anyone who pays rent or a mortgage afford to work in a hotel? 40 x 8.65 (or less if The Irish Hotels Federation have their way). You do the sums. And I can’t imagine that these developers could be so impossibly cruel as to demand that an old spinster such as myself should live in a bunk bed in a shared room no matter how attractive my roomies would be.

Neither do I believe that this resort will benefit the local business community. Busy business men will have no interest in shopping at a corner shop or having a pint. They come to these places because everything is provided within the walls of the resort. That is the point.

There are many other points I won’t go into here, including the wildlife and archaeology of the area which are also at risk.

There are alternatives. This area should be a State Park (like The Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in California).There is a boom in all kinds of outdoor activities and we are not hearing the word boom in many contexts these days. And these people will use the local businesses. To ignore this growth are in favour a bubble that is about to burst is lunacy.

If this development goes ahead we will lose our cliff walks with its panorama from the blue Comeragh Mountains across the rocks and sea arches of the coast disappearing into a silvery blue sea to the south. And we will more that likely lose our beaches to pollution and convenient health and safety rules as happened to the cliffs, despite assurances, at The Old Head of Kinsale. This is not a pretty golf course with a wee hotel attached. This is a massive, destructive and in my opinion ugly housing development. To allow it to be annexed by people who can only see deserted wasteland as they fly by this jewel in their helicopters is to hand our future over to those who are flying blind.

For more information go to www.garrarusgolf.com