2560940
(i) demolition/removal of all existing farm buildings/structures and associated hard standing on site; (ii) construction of a large-scale residential development (LRD) of 249 no. units comprising 170 no. two-storey houses (including 37 no. two-bedroom houses, 111 no. three-bedroom houses and 22 no. four-bedroom houses), 16 no. three-storey duplex buildings (accommodating 16 no. one-bedroom and 16 no. two-bedroom units) and a mix of 8 no. three-storey and 3 no. four-storey apartments blocks accommodating a total of 22 no. one-bedroom and 25 no. two-bedroom apartments); (iii) construction of a new vehicular entrance and access road off Rathmullan Road with associated junction works and associated internal access road network with pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure; (iv) provision of a three-storey creche facility (411sq.m) with external play areas at ground and second floor levels and vehicular/bicycle parking area; and, (v) all ancillary site and infrastructural works, inclusive of removal of existing vehicular entrances, general landscaping and public open space provision, vehicular parking provision (396 no. spaces in total), bicycle parking, boundary treatments, foul/surface water drainage, attenuation areas, provision of a pumping station and provision of an ESB substation, as necessary to facilitate the proposed development. Each house will be served by vehicular parking to the front and private amenity space in the form of a rear garden. Each duplex building will be served by vehicular parking to the front and private amenity space in the form of balcony/terrace spaces to the rear. Each apartment block will have shared access to adjoining car parking bays with communal amenity space and bicycle/bin stores provided to the rear and each apartment will be provided with private amenity space in the form of a balcony or terrace. The development includes provision of a landscaped area of public open space to the north of the site, with 2 no. pedestrian/cyclist connections (via the northern/eastern site boundaries) to Rathmullan Road which will be subsequently ceded to Meath County Council. The application is accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR). Significant further information/revised plans submitted on this application
Core Refusal Reason
The Planning Authority and its technical consultants could not conclude that the proposed development would not adversely affect the integrity of European Sites, specifically the River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC and SPA, due to significant deficiencies in the Appropriate Assessment Screening and Natura Impact Statement.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicant failed to provide a robust Natura Impact Statement (NIS) that could enable the competent authority to rule out adverse effects on the integrity of the River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC and SPA, particularly regarding hydrological pathways and recreational disturbance.
- The assessment of likely significant effects was deemed inadequate, with specific concerns raised over the exclusion of certain European sites without objective justification and the failure to properly assess operational impacts such as air emissions from increased vehicle use.
- Technical deficiencies were identified in the noise and vibration disturbance analysis for protected waterbirds (e.g., Kingfisher), as well as a lack of detail in the in-combination assessment with other live planning applications and regional water management plans.