Trump's Doonbeg resort agrees deal over temporary fencing
Ken Foxe
Donald Trump’s luxury Irish resort has reached a compromise deal with a county council over the erection of temporary fencing at a beach close to the hotel.
The US president’s Doonbeg International Golf Links and Hotel had been at loggerheads with Clare County Council over temporary fencing they put in place at Doughmore Strand.
The council said that was “unauthorised” but has now agreed to a new plan for more limited chestnut fencing along with post-and-rope on the sand dunes.
In their latest application last year, Trump International Golf Links and Hotels said the temporary structure would be put up in two locations on the dunes.
It said: “These two areas of dune habitat are suffering erosion, exacerbated by human traffic.
“It is proposed to reduce accessibility to these areas by the temporary erection of chestnut fencing, generally from March [or] April to October annually.”
The application said the hotel had consulted with the National Parks and Wildlife Service on how best to carry out the work.
“It is important not to let to get the sand far enough up the fence that it is difficult to remove,” the application said.
President Trump’s resort said it would be checked regularly and moved if a large volume of sand was trapped and that the fencing would be held in place by stakes.
The application added that monitoring of vegetation would take place with planting of marram grass in certain areas to help stabilise the sand dunes.
“It is intended to erect minimal temporary signage at the fencing, along the lines of ‘dune restoration works’,” the document added.
An environmental screening assessment said it was a necessary conservation measure for the “shifting dunes” and would help preserve the area.
A letter from the National Parks and Wildlife Service said it could be done on a trial basis to see how successful it was.
In their assessment, Clare County Council said it was their opinion that the works were “exempted development” and could go ahead.
Their decision from last August said the fencing would be about four foot in height and no more than a couple of hundred metres in length.
It said the fencing would not be permanent and “would directly the site-specific conservation objectives” of the important seaside landscape.
The decision said: “The public will still be able to access Doughmore Beach. The fencing is at two specific locations only and will not restrict recreational use by the public.”
In its conclusion, it said the new fencing carried “no risk of significant effects” and could help in restoration of the dunes.
Asked about the successful application, Clare County Council said they had nothing further to add to the documents released.
