A local councillor has welcomed a planning application for a ‘much needed’ temporary overflow car park at Glenveagh National Park.
The Department of housing local government and heritage has submitted a planning application for the development of a temporary overflow car park including all ancillary site works adjacent to existing visitor centre car park.
In 2021, the car park reached maximum capacity 24 times last year and there has been several call for increased parking at the park.
Cllr Michael McClafferty says the overflow car park is greatly needed to facilitate the increased level of visitors the park is getting…………..
Statement from Housing Department:
Glenveagh National Park is the largest tourist attraction in Donegal with over 200,000 visitors per year, a figure which has risen significantly in the last 5 years. Following a number of surveys carried out on site, parking availability and traffic congestion were identified as being a concerning issue. The park experiences significant issues with traffic management in peak season, often pushing the overflow of cars onto the R251.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, developed a Tourism Interpretation Master Plan “Experiencing the Wild Heart of Ireland”. This plan was developed to guide the phased development of enhanced visitor experiences in all of the National Parks.
Referring to this plan with a view to creating a world class visitor experience in Glenveagh National Park, the development of land, adjacent to the existing car park, will facilitate approximately 60/70 car spaces and be used during very busy times in order to avoid parking on the main road.
