Core Refusal Reason
The site is unsuitable for the safe disposal of domestic effluent due to poor soil drainage and high water table levels, posing a significant risk to public health and the environment.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The site exhibits extremely poor percolation characteristics, with evidence of saturated ground, surface water ponding, and subsurface test holes being found submerged during inspection.
- The proposed wastewater treatment system fails to meet the 2021 EPA Code of Practice requirements, specifically the inability to maintain the minimum 0.5m of unsaturated soil required for effluent attenuation.
- The development is considered prejudicial to public health and would set an undesirable precedent for development on sites with similar drainage constraints in the 'Remaining Rural Area' zone.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Chapter 2: 2.6 Settlement HierarchyChapter 2: 2.7 Settlement StrategyChapter 3: 3.9 Rural HousingChapter 3: 3.10 Rural Area TypesChapter 7: Section 7.8 WaterChapter 12: 12.7 Rural House Design ConsiderationsCounty Roscommon Rural Design Guidelines
Decision Document Summary
The applicant, Austin Kielty, proposed the construction of a detached single-storey dwelling, domestic garage, and a wastewater treatment system on a 0.398-hectare site at Corbally, Elphin, Co. Roscommon. While the principle of a rural dwelling was considered acceptable under the 'Remaining Rural Area' designation of the Roscommon County Development Plan 2022-2028, the application was refused due to critical site-specific constraints. Environmental inspections revealed that the site is poorly dr...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
Note: If code appears below, the council site is blocking the preview. Please open the original file.