Core Refusal Reason
The development was refused due to its significant negative visual impact on a prominent hillside, traffic safety hazards arising from substandard road access, and public health risks related to unsuitable soil for wastewater treatment.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed dwelling would be located on an elevated and steeply sloping site requiring extensive excavation and clearance, resulting in a visually prominent development that would be seriously injurious to the landscape character and visual amenity of the area.
- The access via a substandard private road and its junction with the R309 regional road is considered inadequate to cater for additional traffic, posing a hazard to road users and setting an undesirable precedent for similar developments in the vicinity.
- Site investigations revealed high groundwater levels and poor soil percolation properties, meaning the site is unsuitable for the safe disposal of domestic effluent, thereby posing a significant risk to public health.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Objective RHO 5RHO 1Mayo Rural Housing Design Guideline 2008Mayo County Development Plan 2022-2028
Decision Document Summary
This application by Padraic Staunton proposed the construction of a single-storey dwelling and wastewater treatment system on an elevated, steeply sloping site at Doon, Westport. Mayo County Council refused the proposal on several grounds, including its failure to integrate into the landscape as per Objective RHO 5, the substandard nature of the private access road and its junction with the R309, and the technical failure of the site to meet wastewater treatment standards due to poor soil draina...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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