Core Refusal Reason
The application was refused due to the applicant's failure to meet rural housing need criteria, the site's visual prominence in an open rural landscape, and inadequate traffic sightlines at the laneway entrance.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicant failed to provide sufficient documentary evidence to prove a minimum of 18 years of residency in the local rural area, thus failing to meet the qualifying criteria for Rural Policy Zone 2 as per Policy Objective HOU 41.
- The proposed development, by reason of its elevated and exposed location, would result in a visually intrusive feature that erodes the rural character and sets an undesirable precedent for piecemeal development in the open countryside.
- The proposal failed to demonstrate that safe access could be achieved, specifically regarding the required 75m x 3m sightlines from the private laneway onto the public road, posing a risk to public safety.
Cited Policies (CDP)
HOU 41HOU 42HOU 47Section 13.9.4Section 13.9.6Section 13.16.17Table 13.13Table 3.5
Decision Document Summary
The proposal sought permission for a single-storey dwellinghouse (212sqm), domestic garage, and wastewater treatment system at Greenmount, Castlebellingham, Co. Louth, located within Rural Policy Zone 2 (Area Under Strong Urban Influence). Louth County Council refused the application because the applicant did not satisfy the local housing need criteria (specifically the 18-year residency rule), the site was deemed too elevated and open to absorb a new dwelling without negatively impacting the ru...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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