Core Refusal Reason
The applicant failed to meet the 'local need' criteria for the Green Belt zoning as they are not considered an 'immediate family member' under the County Development Plan, combined with concerns over substandard access and inadequate site suitability documentation.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The applicant is a niece of the landowner and therefore does not meet the definition of an 'immediate family member' required by Policy SS9 to qualify for a dwelling within the designated Green Belt.
- The proposed access via a narrow, substandard private lane would lead to an undesirable intensification of use, creating a traffic hazard and negatively impacting the residential amenity of existing dwellings.
- The application failed to provide a site suitability assessment in the required EPA 2021 format, meaning the applicant did not demonstrate that the site could safely accommodate a private wastewater treatment system without risking groundwater contamination.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Policy SS9Section 4.11Section 4.10
Decision Document Summary
The proposal involved the construction of a single-storey dwelling and associated site works at Knockenpower, An Rinn, Dungarvan, on a site zoned as Green Belt and designated as 'Visually Vulnerable'. Waterford City and County Council refused permission because the applicant did not satisfy the rural housing policy requirements for the area, specifically failing the 'immediate family' test. Furthermore, the planning authority determined that the proposed access via a substandard private laneway ...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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