The families of the victims of the Creeslough disaster have said they plan to challenge “every aspect” of the permission granted to redevelop the site.
Donegal County Council have granted permission to develop a new petrol station and various other businesses on the site of the tragedy which saw 10 people lose their lives.
The plans, which were originally submitted in April last year, also include a small “space for a memorial garden” as well as a “proposed memorial lighted feature” to commemorate the dead.
Those who died were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; fashion student Jessica Gallagher; Celtic fan Martin McGill; James O’Flaherty from Sydney; shop worker Martina Martin; carpenter Hugh “Hughie” Kelly; and Leona Harper.
More than 30 objections have been lodged to the proposal, including dozens of pleas from grieving family members to stop the development.
A solicitor representing the families, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, said it was “difficult to comprehend a more insensitive and morally bankrupt decision in recent times”.
He added: “Despite the fierce and unrelenting pleas from the families directly affected, the Donegal County Council has placed commercial and business interests above the interests and rights of these families.
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“Such a decision will not be taken lying down.
“Our clients have today signalled their intention to challenge every aspect of this planning decision in an effort to vindicate their rights, and the rights of their loved ones.
“It is unfathomable that the Grenfell tower or the Stardust nightclub would be rebuilt. Creeslough is no different.
“This decision seeks to rub salt into the open wounds of these families who have now for a second time in recent months, been compelled to fight for what ought to be very basic rights. But fight they will.
“Questions must be asked when a contentious decision such as this appears in the local media in Donegal before it is even as much as notified to these families.
“In many ways, this revelation underscores the families’ concerns as to the motivations of the instant decision.”
The planning application, submitted by the company called Vivo Shell Limited, includes the demolition of the existing building, which remains following the explosion, and raising a new building with a shop, a post office, a beauty salon and fuel pumps.
It is suspected that a gas leak caused the disaster, however, there has been no official explanation for the explosion and a number of investigations are continuing, including a criminal probe.
The families of those who lost their loved ones have expressed their deep hurt and strong opposition over the plans.
Charlie Flood, who lost his partner Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her son James Monaghan (13), previously described the plans as deeply hurtful.
“My feeling is that this should be built somewhere else, and that the entire site should be turned into a memorial garden for the whole community.”
Mr Flood said he was appalled when he saw a photo of the proposed garden area.
“It’s not appropriate,” he said. “The entire site, not just a corner with a bit of grass, should be a memorial garden. I was shocked when I saw the picture of what is proposed.”
Áine Flanagan, who lost her daughter and partner in the horrific blast, described the planning application to redevelop the site as insensitive and disrespectful.
“The families are not being given the chance to grieve because planning is going on,” Ms Flanagan said.
“You look at Grenfell Tower, that’s coming down and there is not going to be anything on that. There is nothing on the Stardust site, plans for a new nightclub there weren’t allowed. There is nothing on Ground Zero. This is incredibly painful.”
Donegal County Council have published their decision to grant a planning permission on its website and said it is subject to ten conditions, such as traffic safety, protection of the environment, waste management or prevention of flooding.
In its planning statement, the proposers of the plans state that “whilst Creeslough and the wider Donegal region was shook by this event, the village should not be defined by it”.
They add that “the rebuilding of this premises will be a step forward for the whole community and hopefully allow for some semblance of normality to resume within the village”.
In the application proposal, Vivo Shell Limited said they hope that “family members of persons who were injured or are deceased will see that much consideration and thought has gone into the application to be respectful towards all”.
“If granted [it] will result in a state-of-the-art development which will incorporate memorials and respect the victims.”
The company also said they were searching for alternative sites within the Creeslough village, however, “due to the topography of sites within the settlement and the non-availability of another site, they were simply unable to acquire an alternative site for this development”.
They said the village does not have fuel available within Creeslough and that the closest fuel station is in Dunfanaghy or Termon 10km away.
News Catch Up – Wednesday 19 February