Core Refusal Reason
The proposed development constitutes a detached, self-contained residential unit that fails to comply with the integration requirements for granny flats and lacks sufficient justification under rural housing policies for a sensitive landscape area.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The granny flat is a remote and detached structure from the main house, which contravenes Development Management Standard 4 requiring such units to be physically integrated to allow for future reintegration into the primary dwelling.
- The applicant failed to provide adequate information to demonstrate compliance with rural housing policy RHO 1, which is a requirement for establishing a new residential unit within the Galway Transportation and Planning Study (GTPS) area.
- The development is located in a sensitive Class 2 landscape and a Protected Focal Point/View, where the unauthorized conversion to a separate dwelling unit sets an undesirable precedent and negatively impacts the visual amenity of the rural area.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Development Management Standard 4Objective RHO 1Objective RH04Objective RH01Landscape Sensitivity Class 2Protected Focal Point/View
Decision Document Summary
The proposal sought retention for the change of use of a permitted domestic garage to a 57.3 sq.m detached granny flat at Cnoc Na Gréine, Co. Galway. The site is located in a locally elevated rural area designated as a Class 2 landscape and a Protected Focal Point/View within the GTPS and Gaeltacht areas. Galway County Council refused the application because the unit functions as a separate, detached dwelling rather than an integrated extension, thereby violating Development Management Standard ...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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