2260610
for the demolition of a single-storey dwelling and the construction of a residential development consisting of: (a) 6 no. single-storey terraced houses (2-bed), (b) 4 no. two-storey semi-detached houses (3-bed), (c) 1 no. two-storey apartment block with 2 apartments (2-bed), access road, car parking facilities, bicycle stands, connection to public sewer system, communal and private open space areas, landscaping and all associated site works and services.Gross floor space of proposed works 1,179.30sqm.
Core Refusal Reason
The development is located outside the designated settlement boundary on un-zoned lands, conflicts with the Core Strategy regarding rural overspill, and is premature due to the absence of a municipal wastewater treatment plant, posing a risk to the integrity of the Kilkieran Bay and Islands SAC.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposal represents unsustainable development on un-zoned lands outside the settlement boundary of An Cheathrú Rua, directly conflicting with the Core Strategy and rural typology objectives of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028.
- The development is premature and environmentally risky because the settlement currently lacks a wastewater treatment plant, meaning effluent would be discharged untreated into the sea, potentially impacting the Kilkieran Bay and Islands Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
- The project constitutes overdevelopment due to poorly configured communal open space, failure to meet mandatory floor-to-ceiling height standards for apartments (SPPR5), and unresolved legal issues regarding access and servicing via a road not taken-in-charge.