Residents appeal against GAA Club new floodlights

An appeal has been lodged after planning permission was granted for new floodlights at a GAA pitch in Newcastle.

St Finian’s GAA Club in Rathcreedan had applied for permission to erect six lighting columns for 15m tall pitch lights, and for the addition of a “non-illuminated flat board sponsor signage at the north boundary of the pitch area”.

The council’s planning department granted planning permission to St Finian’s GAA for the development on October 16.

Restrictions ordering that the floodlights not be used past 9.30pm during winter months were included in the conditions for the planning permission.

The floodlights are not to be used “within the hour before and after sunset (so will vary depending on the daylight hours of each month), to facilitate the safe emergence of bats from any roost in the vicinity and then switched off by 9.30pm each night”, as recommended by the council’s Heritage Officer.

“It is noted that the submitted Bat Report states that this pitch is a secondary site for the local GAA club, with frequency of use relatively limited in comparison to the active training and match grounds of a primary GAA club facility,” the chief planners report stated.

“The recommended lighting restrictions are therefore considered appropriate in order to sufficiently address the impact on bats while facilitating appropriate usage of the GAA facility.”

Two separate appeals have now been lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála against the council’s decision to award permission, by residents living “adjacent” to the club grounds.

According to one appeal, the floodlights will be “approximately 20/25m from my bedroom windows [and] will be detrimental to my home life and the enjoyment of my private back garden due to light spillage into my property”.

“In addition, the height of the floodlights which at 15m are significantly taller than the surrounding houses (by times x3), will dominate the skyline and be visually obtrusive,” they said.

The appeal also raised concerns over the restrictions imposed on the use of the lights, adding that they “cannot agree that a restriction of times when the flood lights are to be used” is enough to mitigate the impact on bats.

The second appeal has been lodged by James McInerney Planning Consultants on behalf of residents who have “three family homes” to the west of the club grounds, which has “disturbed their tranquil setting by the generation of noise arising from activity on the pitch and banging of car doors in the car park”.

“The proposed development will give rise to increased activity and light pollution increasing the negative effect on the property of the appellants,” the second appeal noted, adding that their “quality of life has been shattered by St. Finlan’s GAA Club continuing to be non-compliant with the Planning and Development Acts, carrying out development injurious to their residential and visual amenity and the behaviour of club members attending at the pitch”.

“At least up to now the appellants has a reprieve during winter months now if the proposal proceeds there will be no reprieve.”

A decision is due from An Coimisiún Pleanála by March 2026.

Funded by The Local Democracy Reporting Scheme