An Bord Pleanála Refuse Planning For New Development At Magheramore Beach

The council first refused the permission on 7 separate grounds.

The core arguments against the development which were upheld by the council in their decision to reject the application noted the environmentally sensitive area that lies adjacent to Magherabeg Special Area of Conservation.

The site is also not zoned for commercial activity in the Wicklow County Development Plan.

Wicklow County Council was widely praised in 2021 for their effort to acquire the land for conservation, when they bidding €500,000 in a BidX1 auction which received national attention.

The initial asking price had been €200,000. Mckillen Jnr and Ryan were successful with a bid of €700,000.

Two previous developers who owned the land failed to develop it, with the vulnerability of Magherabeg Special Area of Conservation (SAC) presenting an insurmountable planning obstacle in both cases.

The planning application submitted by a newly formed Oakmount company called Creatively Pacific Ltd., outlines a €40 million budget for a ‘boutique resort’, with an 18 month construction period.

The appeal lodged in May 2023 has now been refused by the planning board.