Core Refusal Reason
The proposed change of use from commercial to residential at ground floor level would contravene development plan policies intended to protect the vitality and viability of the Wicklow Town Core Retail Area by removing active street-level commercial use.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The subject site is located within the defined Core Retail Area of Wicklow Town, where retail or commercial use is normally required at street level to maintain the vitality and viability of the town centre.
- The loss of the ground floor retail unit would create a 'dead frontage' and break the continuous commercial streetscape, thereby diminishing the retail function and visual character of the area.
- The proposal would directly contravene specific objectives (CPO 10.8, 10.9, 10.12) of the Wicklow County Development Plan 2022-2028 and Objective TR1 of the Wicklow-Rathnew Local Plan 2013-2019.
Cited Policies (CDP)
CPO 10.8CPO 10.9CPO 10.10CPO 10.12Objective TR15.6 Town & Village Centre Objectives6.4 Housing Objectives10.3 Retail Objectives13.2 Water Services Objectives17.4 Natural Heritage & Biodiversity Objectives
Decision Document Summary
The applicant sought permission for the change of use of a ground floor commercial unit to a one-bedroom apartment at New Street, Wicklow Town. The site is situated within a three-story semi-detached building located in the designated Wicklow Core Retail Area. While residential use is acceptable in principle under the zoning, the planning authority refused the application because the removal of street-level retail use would undermine the vitality of the town centre, contravene core retail polici...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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