An Bord Pleanála rejects plans for 77 homes near Dungarvan
An Bord Pleanála deemed the proposal 'a piecemeal and haphazard' development that ran contrary to requirements within the Waterford’s County Development Plan 2022-28. File picture
Plans for a large-scale housing scheme outside of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, have been rejected after An Bord Pleanála upheld an appeal against the development.
Waterford County Council had granted planning to local developers S & K Carey Builders Ltd in January for the construction of 77 houses on a 33-hectare site at Duckspool, Abbeyside, 2km north-east of Dungarvan
The scheme was to be a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom dwellings, with 169 car parking spaces.
The site sits close to Abbeyside GAA grounds and near secondary and primary schools.
The planning permission was appealed to the board by local residents John McGrath and Lucia Queally, who expressed concerns around the size, suitability, and flood risk of the development, along with traffic volume and management.
They claimed that the traffic survey carried out for the development was flawed as it was conducted during a level-three Covid-19 lockdown and so would not accurately reflect traffic in the area.
They also noted that they "must wait five to 10 minutes at morning and evening rush hour to exit our home", and said different developments amounting to 350 homes have been built in the surrounding neighbourhood since 2005, with "very little" traffic infrastructure added in that period.
The board upheld the appeal on a number of grounds, citing that the design of an access road was “over-engineered” and its “overall function and tie-in with the adjacent landholdings is undefined”.
The board deemed the proposal “a piecemeal and haphazard” development that ran contrary to requirements within the Waterford’s County Development Plan 2022-28, as well as to the “proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
In addition, the board further found that the “cumulative impact” of future development proposals on the land to be serviced by the access road, was “not assessed within the traffic and transport impact assessment”.
It also noted that the proposed 20 units per hectare fall below the recommended 35-50 units per hectare on outer suburban/greenfield sites as set out in sustainable residential development guidelines.
An Bord Pleanála's decision was criticised at a Waterford County Council plenary meeting, with Fine Gael councillor Pat Nugent labelling it as “70-plus houses less for Dungarvan”.
The decision comes as a previous decision by the board to grant planning in the Duckspool area awaits the outcome of a High Court challenge.
The proposed strategic infrastructure development by businessman and stud farm owner Michael Ryan would see 218 houses constructed on a 21-acre site widely regarded as a flood plain.
