RESIDENTS of an area on the outskirts of Enniskillen are up in arms over a proposed housing development.
Developers are proposing to build 87 new houses in the Kinarla area just off the Derrygonnelly Road, but local people believe that the development will have a significant environmental impact on the location.
Developers Ross Planning has made a second planning application to Fermanagh and Omagh Council and residents are waiting on the outcome.
Kinarla Lough Action Group which includes around 60 residents are totally against the proposed development.
They say their main concern is primarily with the impact on local people, but also with wildlife and biodiversity in the area
Peter Duffield a spokesman for the group explained, “We’ve been waiting for a year or more to find out what is happening. Many of the residents who live in well established houses and farms, are getting on in age and it’s wearing hard on many of them.”
They believe the area is ‘a jewel in the crown of Enniskillen’.
“It’s got everything and it has managed to stay that way because it’s off the beaten track,” said Peter.
“To us it is a ridiculous concept, building 87 houses. Working on that figure it could mean at least 100 plus vehicles and 160-170 children on a development close to a quarrry, a lake and a busy road.” he added.
Mr Duffield points out, “It would mean traffic emerging onto the Derrygonnelly Road and then meeting the Loughshore Road which is already desperately congested . Also that Derrygonnelly Road has already claimed lives in recent years. Kinarla Lough has also unfortunately claimed a life.”
He pointed out that the nearest proposed house is only 20 yards from the edge of Kinarla Lough.
“The area around the lough is marshy and infested with insects during the summer months. It’s sodden and is an absolute bog,” he said.
“The wildlife includes otters, badgers, squirrels, nesting swans and bats which are a protected species. The trees in the area have bats living in them and near the quarry there are bat roosts.”
The residents are waiting on the Council’s planning committee to make its decision.
“Our main concern is primarily with human life and after that with wildlife and biodiversity in the area,” he said adding that if the development goes ahead Kinarla Lough could be lost forever.
“It’s just not fair to ecology and biodiversity and it’s not fair to the people of the area.
“We’re just getting angrier and angier as we delve into the things that are going to wiped out if this proposal goes ahead,” he said.
The Herald has tried to contact Ross Planning, but to date has had no reply.
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