Core Refusal Reason
The proposed 'plant storage' use is a commercial activity that fails to protect or promote agriculture or rural-related enterprise, thereby contravening the 'RU - Rural' land-use zoning objective of the Fingal County Development Plan 2023-2029.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The use of the land for 'plant storage' would transform the site into a commercial operation with no relationship to agriculture or rural life, making it more suitable for an industrial or commercial zone.
- Allowing the proposed development would set an undesirable precedent for similar commercial proposals within RU-zoned lands throughout the county.
- A split decision is appropriate: the vehicular entrance and boundary fencing are acceptable in terms of traffic safety and visual amenity, whereas the plant storage use and the 12 No. 6m high lighting standards should be refused due to zoning incompatibility and potential residential amenity impacts.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Fingal County Development Plan 2023-2029RU - Rural Zoning ObjectivePolicy EEP23Policy EEP24Appendix 7 Technical Guidance (Use Classes)
Decision Document Summary
The applicant sought permission to revise a previously granted agricultural machinery store (Reg. Ref: F21A/0436) to allow for the storage of heavy plant machinery (cranes, pumps, and equipment) and to retain a vehicular entrance, 2.4m high mesh fencing, and 12 No. 6m high lighting standards. The site is located in a rural area south of Lusk town centre on lands zoned 'RU - Rural'. While the applicant argued the site's brownfield history as a former school and place of worship justified the use,...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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