211478
change of use of 1, College Farm Green, Newbridge, Co. Kildare (lower level only), from residential to commercial, to increase the services and number of children that can be accommodated at "Klever Kidz", currently operating at this address, with the following: (1) The area will be used as a Breakfast Club to accommodate up to 24 additional local primary school children between 7.00 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. Monday to Friday, before they are dropped off at school. (2) Then from 9.15 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. Monday to Friday, the area will accommodate up to 22 additional pre-school children for an ECCE morning session. This service will operate in accordance with the ECCE calendar year. (3) Once the ECCE children have left, the area will be used as an After-School service from 1.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday to accommodate up to 24 children upon their return from the local primary schools. (4) A kitchen on the premises will be used for the preparation of hot and cold foods for consumption on the premises, to supply breakfast, snacks and dinners to school age children. Hours of operation will be as follows: 7.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. - Children will be served breakfast and dropped to primary school. 9.15 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. - ECCE morning session. 1.30 p.m. - 1st collection and drop off from primary school back to "Klever Kidz" until 6.00 p.m., children will be served snacks and dinners. 2.30 p.m. – 2nd collection and drop off from primary school back to “Klever Kidz” until 6.00 p.m., children will be served snacks and dinners. The Breakfast Club and After-School services will operate in accordance with the Department of Education school calendar. However, as we are serving the local community of working parents, the Breakfast Club and After-School services will operate from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday for up to 24 school age children, during mid-term closures and summer holidays, operating for 50 weeks of the year, closing for 2 weeks for the Christmas period (dates vary yearly)
Core Refusal Reason
The proposal involves the near-complete conversion of a semi-detached dwelling to commercial childcare use, which would make the residential use secondary, contravening County Development Plan policies and negatively impacting residential amenity through traffic, noise, and substandard living conditions for the remaining residential unit.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The development would result in the residential use of the property becoming secondary to the commercial childcare facility, which is discouraged under Section 17.4 of the Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023 for semi-detached dwellings.
- The remaining first-floor residential unit would be substandard and non-compliant with development management standards due to the lack of private open space, independent 'own door' access, and dedicated car parking.
- The intensification of the childcare service would lead to increased traffic congestion, haphazard parking, and noise disturbance, which would negatively impact the residential amenity of the existing housing estate and create a traffic hazard.