2460203
The development will consist of: (1) Demolition of existing dwelling/reception, toilet block, & TV/recreation room/store building; (2) An indoor residents' only swimming pool incl. sauna/steam room/changing rooms, etc. & cinema building; (3) Reception Building with snack bar & seating; (4) A multi-purpose games court; (5) Children's playground; (6) The installation of detached tourist accommodation units incl. 16 x 2 bed boutique lodges (2 x designs), 7 x 2 bed treehouse units, 5 x 2 bed 2 storey apex units with balconies at 1st fl; (7) A 2 storey lodge building containing 20 x 2 bed units with 1st fl. served by external front terrace access & rear terraces; (8) Revisions to existing entrance incl. vehicular & pedestrian gates & lifting arm, revisions to internal circulation roads & paths & car parking layout with new parking spaces (setdown, disabled, & EV charging), & bike parking spaces & bike shelter; (9) Maintenance shed & bins/recycling facility with associated entry gate; (10) Landscaping & planting scheme; (11) All served by existing service connections (drainage, roads, water); (12) All associated site works incl. attenuation to each lodge structure & scheme lighting
Core Refusal Reason
The proposal lacks sufficient detail to demonstrate that it would not adversely impact the residential amenity of neighboring properties, the visual character of the sensitive tertiary zone, the environmental integrity of the Vartry Reservoir, or public road safety.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The scale and height of the proposed 2-storey motel and the close proximity of lodges to site boundaries raise significant concerns regarding visual overbearing and the loss of residential amenity for neighboring single-storey dwellings.
- Insufficient technical information was provided to ensure the protection of the Vartry Reservoir (a pNHA) from potential pollution risks associated with the proposed wastewater infrastructure and surface water drainage systems.
- The applicant failed to demonstrate that the revised site entrance could achieve the required 90m sightlines and accommodate safe vehicular turning movements, posing a risk to public safety.