LRD25A/0008W
(1) Demolition of 5 no. existing dwellings and associated outbuildings on the site. (2) Construction of a 176 no. dwellings on the site to the east of Stoney Hill Road comprising 100 no. duplex units and 76 no. houses and with a mix comprising of 16 no. 1 beds, 50 no. 2 beds, 70 no. 3 beds and 40 no. 4 beds with detached, semi-detached and terraced units. The house types include two storey and three storey typologies and the duplex units are three storeys in height. (3) A total of 245 no. surface car parking spaces for the residential development (including visitor, accessible and EV charging spaces) comprising of 152 no. for the 76 no. houses and 93 no. for the 100 no. duplex units. (4) Bicycle parking comprising of 187 no spaces in total (including 3 no. cargo bicycle spaces) in sheltered bicycle stores. (5) Open space comprising of: a) 8,725 sq.m of public open space, including the main park and pocket parks. b) 2,680 sq.m of communal open space, including 100 sq.m of play to serve the duplex units, c) 4,311 sq.m of ecological open space, including landscape buffers. (6) A new vehicular, pedestrian and cyclist access from Stoney Hill Road to the north-west of the residential development site and a secondary access for emergency vehicles only further to the south on Stoney Hill Road. (7) A 2 no. storey creche building of 639.2 sq.m plus an outdoor play area of 591 sq.m located on an existing undeveloped portion of the Peyton site located to the west of Stoney Hill Road. The creche includes 10 no. car parking spaces and 20 no. bicycle parking spaces. The crèche development includes all associated and ancillary works. (8) Infrastructure works to serve the proposed development to include the internal road network, ESB substations/switchrooms, lighting, site drainage works, hard and soft landscaping, boundary treatment, and all ancillary site services and development works above and below ground. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared in respect of the proposed development and is submitted as part of the planning application.
Core Refusal Reason
The development was refused due to significant ecological risks to Annex 1 woodlands and European sites, inadequate green infrastructure and open space provision, and technical deficiencies in the traffic assessment and urban design.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicant failed to provide adequate surveys and assessments to demonstrate that the development would not adversely affect the integrity of Annex 1 woodlands and European sites, rendering the Natura Impact Statement and EcIA incomplete.
- The proposed layout provides insufficient and fragmented green infrastructure, fails to meet sustainable water management requirements, and offers poor-quality public open space and play facilities that do not meet residential amenity standards.
- The Traffic and Transport Assessment is fundamentally flawed in its methodology, and the overall urban design is compromised by poor unit placement, excessive footpath gradients, and inappropriate parking on public open space.