Louth County Council refuses planning for 22 new homes

Louth County Council has refused planning permission for 22 new homes at Haynestown in Dundalk, saying that the proposed development fails to provide a safe and complete pedestrian connection to the existing public footpath network along Marlbog Road.

Hollywood Developments Ltd applied in March of this year, for planning permission for the development at Marlbog Road, Haynestown, Dundalk, seeking to construct, two detached, two-storey, four bed dwellings, along with 20 semi-detached two-storey dwellings. The 20 semi-detached dwellings comprise 11 three-bed dwellings and nine four-bed dwellings.

The applicant was also seeking the go ahead for associated car parking at surface level, the creation of a new access point from Marlbog Road to facilitate vehicular and pedestrian access, and the provision of internal access roads and footpaths and associated works.

The application also provided for items including: the provision of residential public open space areas along with all hard and soft landscape works with public lighting; planting and boundary treatments to include boundary walls, railings & fencing; and internal site works and attenuation systems to include for provision of a wastewater treatment system which will be connected to the mains wastewater network.

A decision had initially been due on the application in June but further information was sought by the local planning authority that month, which was provided in September.

Read also: Decision on 502 homes at Haggardstown in north Louth due in December

Louth County Council made the decision to refuse planning permission on 24 October. In its decision it said that: “the proposed development fails to provide a safe and complete pedestrian connection to the existing public footpath network along Marlbog Road.

“The applicant has proposed that Louth County Council deliver the remaining section of footpath required to connect the development to the existing network; however, the lands necessary for this infrastructure are not in the ownership of the Council, and the Council currently has no plans to carry out such works. In the absence of connectivity to the existing public footpath network, the proposed development would give rise to pedestrian safety concerns.”

It added that: “The proposal is therefore contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and to Policy Objective HOU 22, which requires that residential development be designed to promote walkability and connectivity, and to Policy Objectives MOV 25 and MOV 28, of the Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied), which seeks to ensure that pedestrian infrastructure is provided in a manner that supports safe, inclusive, and accessible movement for all users.”