Plans are once again in the works for a large housing development outside Barna after the High Court overturned previous planning permission.
Burkeway Homes is seeking a consultation with An Bord Pleanála about a proposed 121 unit housing development at Truskey East outside Barna village.
This would consists of 58 houses and 63 apartments, along with a creche and associated site works.
Burkeway had previously been granted permission by An Bord Pleanaála for a 197 unit estate on an acre site at Truskey East in November 2018.
But that approval was struck down by the High Court after a judicial review was secured by Gabriel McGoldrick and Heather Hill Management Co, management company of an existing residential development nearby.
Last June Justice Garrett Simmons said that the plans would contravene the County Development Plan in two main areas.
The judge said that the higher planning authority failed to take into consideration the planned population growth of Barna, which is envisioned to grow by 420 by 2021.
A “justification test” was also required as this site had been deemed a flood risk, and this was not carried out.
In December the High Court refused An Bord Pleanála permission to appeal that decision, saying that none of the issues of law it wished to raise were of exceptional public interest.
This fresh application by Burkeway Homes contains 76 fewer units than its previous plans.
An Bord Pleanála is due to decide on the consultation by March 23. If it is successful the next stage in the project would be to submit a planning application for a Strategic Housing Development.
A Strategic Housing Development is a instrument where planning applications for developments consisting of more than 100 residencies or 200 student bed spaces can be made directly to An Bord Pleanála.
Enacted in 2016, this is meant to speed up the planning process for large scale housing developments.
