Core Refusal Reason
The proposal fails to demonstrate compliance with rural housing need criteria for a High Amenity Area, exhibits poor design and siting, and lacks necessary assessments regarding flood risk and potential impacts on European sites.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicants failed to demonstrate a functional housing need or long-term intrinsic links to the landholding as required by CPO 9.24 for development within a designated High Amenity Area.
- The proposed dwelling's skewed and ad-hoc siting represents a visually un-integrated design solution that falls short of the standards encouraged in the Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027.
- In the absence of a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment and a conclusive Appropriate Assessment, the planning authority could not rule out negative impacts on a known flood risk area or the conservation objectives of the Lough Ree SAC and SPA.
Cited Policies (CDP)
CPO 9.1CPO 9.24Chapter 9Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 16
Decision Document Summary
Thomas Fox and Rachel Morgan applied for permission to construct a two-storey dwelling, garage, and wastewater treatment system at Ballynacliffy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. The site is located within the Lough Ree High Amenity Area and in close proximity to European protected sites. Westmeath County Council refused the application on four grounds: failure to meet the restrictive housing need criteria for High Amenity Areas (CPO 9.24), poor architectural siting and orientation, the lack of a Flood R...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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