Wicklow golf club to become adventure park after planning appeals fail

In June 2023, Wicklow County Council granted Djouce Outdoors Ltd permission for the development at the Ballinastoe Cross site that used to be Djouce Golf Club, which operated for 36 years before closing its doors.

Three appeals were lodged with An Bord Pleanála by residents living nearby, and these mainly focused on water supply, traffic management and noise pollution concerns.

There were also concerns about litter pollution, and impacts on farm animals and safety, due to trespassing and inadequate fencing with bordering lands.

The former nine-hole golf course is adjacent to the Turquoise Café, which opened in September 2021 as a coffee shop and has grown into a hip vegetarian eatery, complete with a weekly farmers market that runs every Sunday. Owners Djouce Outdoors submitted an initial application in May of 2023, seeking a change of use of these lands to an adventure park.

The plans were to create a zip line and adventure course facility, complete with a watersport pond, which proved the most contentious part of the development.

The company also sought to change use of part of the former golf course clubhouse (293sqm) to form a reception room and changing rooms at ground floor level, with storage on the first floor.

The plans also included the installation of a new waste water treatment plant as well as all ancillary and site development works.

The inspector’s report found that, given the topography, soil type and ground conditions associated with the proposed watersport pond, its initial water filling from upgradient rainfall runoff will not exacerbate existing capacity issues raised by appellants in respect of wells in the vicinity.

In granting the proposed development permission, whilst having regard to the provisions of the Wicklow County Development Plan 2022-2028, to the established use of the site and to the nature, scale and design of the proposed development, the Bord ruled that the proposed development would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area, would not pose a traffic hazard, would not pose a risk to public health and would, therefore, be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.