A housing development in Athenry has been given the green light to proceed with a grant planning permission from the county council.
The housing estate, consisting of 13 two-storey houses, will be built at Raheen, Athenry on the Ballygarraun road.
The site of the housing development is currently a grass field near the Raheen Woods Hotel, with offices belonging to the OPW to the rear of the site.
Plans were submitted to the county council for 17 two-storey houses consisting of a mix of 6 three-bedroom, semi-detached swellings; Â 6 three-bedroom, terraced houses, and 4 two-bedroom semi-detached homes.
The county council gave approval to the developer for 13 homes only. As a condition of planning permission the council said that four of the units should be omitted from the layout.
“This area shall be designated as a public open space to cater for the proposed development” the council stipulated.
The Ballygarraun Residents Association said that it was not opposed to the project in principle, but that it had concerns about the density and local infrastructure.
The RA asked that several units be omitted from the initial 17 home design to bring the site density more in line with the local area.
It also expressed concern about the capacity of the local sewerage network, and said that the development should not proceed until a planned upgrade to Athenry’s sewage capacity is installed.
Concerns were also expressed about the current lack of a pedestrian crossing to the adjacent footpath at the entrance to the proposed housing estate.
Irish Water also said that a connection to the public network can be facilitated, but that this is subject to upgrades to the Athenry wastewater network which are currently at the detailed design stage.
A second submission was made by locals supporting the points raised by the Residents Association.
The developer submitted a Road Safety Audit and Appropriate Assessment Screening Report with this planning application.
Planning permission was ultimately awarded by the county council with a total of 18 conditions attached.
