‘Lough Sewdy deserves high amenity status’
Westmeath County Council will have to go back and review its decision not to designate Lough Sewdy in Ballymore as an area of high amenity in the county development plan, Cllr Vinny McCormack says.
The Fianna Fáil man submitted a motion at the September meeting of the council calling on the executive to include the lake as a high amenity area in the CDP. In its response to the motion the council says that the a variation to the CDP, which would be needed to include the lake, “would not be appropriate at this time”.
Cllr McCormack says, however, that the support that his motion received from his fellow councillors means that the council has to look at incorporating it. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Andrew Duncan said that lake should have been designated a high amenity area in the CDP (2021-2027).
“I think it should never have been overlooked. In the last couple of years particularly it has taken off in the form of amenity, with kayaking and angling clubs. It’s beside Center Parcs and Uisneach and has great potential as a tourist resource and it needs protection,” he said.
Cllrs Ken Glynn and Emily Wallace also voiced their support; and the latter described its exclusion in the CDP as a “huge oversight”.
Saying that he fully supported the motion, Cllr Tom Farrell noted that the road to the lake had been improved in recent years, “which added greatly to it”.
Cllr McCormack is a member of the recently formed Lough Sewdy Development Group, which has big plans for the lake.
“There is also a big drive in terms of developing the lake as a natural amenity. We have put together a committee to clear back some of the vegetation that has overgrown in recent years, to put in a new jetty and slipway for boats, and an enhanced picnic area.
“An angling club has also been restarted and we have also established a canoe and kayak club. It really has taken off as an amenity and is being used far more widely than in previous years.”
The club is also currently building a boat, Cllr McCormack said, to remove some of the weeds growing in the water. “We had someone from Parks and Wildlife out with us who did say the weeds growing under the water are a really good sign of the water quality. It is a spring-fed lake. There is really pure water in it, which results in the weed growing and it’s one of only a handful of lakes where the weed grows. While it is annoying in terms of swimming and rowing, it is a great sign in terms of the water quality.
“We also have an application in with LEADER for feasibility and biodiversity studies, which would guide us in terms of future works and what we can do without interfering too much with the different habitats that are on the lake. We also have applications in under the Town and Village Renewal Fund for the slipway and jetty and a few other pieces we want to get done.”
Council response
Westmeath County Council’s response to Cllr McCormack’s motion:
The above matter was considered as part of the process associated with the review of the Westmeath County Development Plan.
The review process associated with the recently made Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 has been completed and no further Material Amendments to the Plan can be made at this time, except through a Variation to the Plan in accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
In this regard, it is considered that a Variation would not be appropriate given the recent consideration of the matter through the County Development Plan review process and the fact that there have been no relevant changes to national policy in the meantime. In addition, the County Development Plan has not been finalised, pending a decision regarding the Draft Ministerial Direction issued under Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act.