Appeal filed against redevelopment of Creeslough service station

Ten people lost their lives on October 7th 2022, in the explosion.

Vivo Shell Limited had been granted planning permission on February 19th by Donegal County Council to redevelop the building at the site of the explosion.

The proposal was to demolish the existing building and erect a new one with a shop, a post office, a beauty salon, fuel pumps and memorial features.

Damien Tansey Solicitors submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanála, on behalf of the families of those that died in 2022.

The submission to An Bord Pleanála has challenged the decision of Donegal County Council on four grounds.

It argues that the granting of planning permission is "untimely and premature", and that material evidence must "be preserved and maintained" until Garda and Health and Safety Authority investigations have concluded.

The appeal also stated that the families of those that passed believe that the "site and the remains of the building on the site should not be tampered with in any way…"  until a statutory inquiry has concluded.

Another argument put forth is that if the redevelopment goes ahead "it will result in the destruction of crucial evidence which is required for the said inquests."

An argument from the appeal mentioned how the Stardust Nightclub and Grenfell Tower site were never rebuilt and adds that "Creeslough is akin to those tragedies."

It said: "It would be insulting and disrespectful to the families of the victims to rebuild the service station on the same plot of land where ten of their cherished family members lost their lives."

A decision on the case will be made by An Bord Pleanála by July 14th.

Ten people lost their lives in the explosion, they were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; Jessica Gallagher; Martin McGill; James O'Flaherty; Martina Martin; Hugh 'Hughie' Kelly; and 14-year-old Leona Harper.