Plans are before Galway County Council for a housing development on the outskirts of Loughrea consisting of 46 homes.
Bilberrylane Ltd is seeking outline permission from the council for the construction of a residential estate on a site off the Caheronaun Park Road.
The estate will consist of 6 two-bedroom, terraced houses; 4 three-bedroom end terrace houses; 18 one-bedroom, duplex units; and 18 two-bedroom duplex units.
The proposed location of the estate is a greenfield site sought of the N65, with proposed vehicular access off the Caheronaun Park Road.
“The proposed houses are to be laid out along the south, east and partially along the western boundary thereby creating a large public open space for houses to overlook,” the application states.
“It is considered an important design principle that all houses are outward looking, and which overlook the public open space, thereby creating an element of passive surveillance but also outward looking to address and animate the public road”.
“The balconies of the first floor duplex units will create an active street frontage and will provide abundant overlooking and passive surveillance of the open space.”
The developer proposes to provide 65 car parking spaces of “communal shared parking” located in front of the houses.
The application also notes that there are no existing trees within the site, and states that the hedge along the western boundary with the Caheronaun Park Road is in poor condition.
The developer proposes to build a low stone wall with new hedging along the western boundary, and also to locate a number of native trees within the public open space of the housing estate.
Outline permission differs from full planning permission in that the developer only submits those plans and information needed to see if the council agrees in principle with the development, such as its location, layout etc.
If outline permission is granted, more detailed drawings and plans must be submitted to receive consequent permission before any construction work begins.
Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this outline permission application by December 13.
