AN BORD PLEANÁLA has refused planning permission for a new ‘car dependent’ 127-residential unit scheme near Balbriggan after a developer failed to put in adequate pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

In refusing planning permission for the Kinvara Properties Ltd’s Strategic Housing Development (SHD) proposal for a site 4km north west of Balbriggan, the appeals board ruled that without the adequate pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, the development would be largely car dependent.

As a result, the board ruled the scheme “would therefore promote unsustainable transport modes” and be contrary to the provisions of the Fingal County Development Plan.

The planned development site was located 1km east of the M1 Motorway with the surrounding area rural in character.

The appeals board refused planning permission for the scheme – made up of 65 houses and 62 duplex units – after Fingal County Council recommended that planning permission be refused on five separate grounds

The appeals board inspector Elaine Power recommended refusal and agreed with the Council and third party-concerns that the proposal did not provide for safe and convenient road use and that future residents of the scheme would be car dependent, setting an undesirable precedent for similar sites where connectivity is limited or non-existent.

Power stated that in the absence of adequate pedestrian and cycle infrastructure connecting the site to Balbriggan town centre and given the poor availability of public transport at the location, it was her recommendation that permission be refused as the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard.

In a separate SHD ruling, the board has granted planning permission to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for a 345 unit scheme for Hacketstown, Skerries in north Dublin.

The LDA can now proceed with the construction of eight blocks comprising 84 one-bed units, 104 two-bed units and 157 three-bed units ranging in eight blocks ranging from two to four storeys in height.

The appeals board granted planning permission after pointing out that the scheme is of strategic and national importance given its potential to substantively contribute to the achievement of the Government’s national policy to increase housing supply.

The board also concluded that the proposed would constitute an acceptable quantum and density of the development in this intermediate urban location and would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and scale of development.

The LDA is to provide 70 of the units for social and affordable housing.

Inspector McLoughlin recommended that planning be granted after stating that he was satisfied that the proposed development “would not result in excessive overshadowing, overbearing or overlooking impacts for residents of neighbouring properties”.