‘Overdevelopment’ accusation levelled at 48-house proposals

By Laura Lyne

TWO appeals in response to the grant of permission for a 48-house development at Aylmer Heath in Newcastle have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála. One submission states that the current proposal “constitutes overdevelopment”.

A first-party and third-party appeal was submitted in response to the application, from the original applicant and local residents.

The first-party submission addresses concerns with a condition of the grant of permission regarding the required expansion of St Finian’s Community Centre before seven of the proposed houses can be occupied, a condition which the applicant calls “particularly onerous and burdensome”.

In its appeal, the applicant requests that the wording of the condition is changed so that a financial contribution be accepted in lieu of the expansion – an option included within the Newcastle Local Area Plan.

The third-party submission raises a number of concerns surrounding the development, but states that the appellants do not object “in principle” to the development, and would welcome “appropriate residential development” and that the current proposal “constitutes overdevelopment”.

Concerns raised by the residents include land ownership and legal interest by the applicant in previously developed Aylmer Heath lands, and the development’s connection to the previously built Aylmer Heath housing development.

A lack of open space for the development and the location of two proposed houses at the entrance to the estate are also raised as concerns.

Concerns surrounding the number of social houses proposed as part of the legal requirement to have social housing, conditions attached to the grant of permission and insufficient parking within the housing development are within the submission.

South Dublin County Council previously granted permission for the application on June 2, following a number of third-party submissions on the original application.

The third party appeals to An Bord Pleanála were lodged on June 28, with a decision on the appeals expected from An Bord Pleanála by November 1, 2016.