Developer claims Portlaoise population falling in housing planning application
Claim conflicts with Laois County Council predictions
A planning application for 174 new houses in a Portlaoise housing estate is claiming that the town's child population is falling, and the demand for school places created by the new development is "relatively low".
A professional report included in the latest Dargan Woods planning application, is in direct contrast to Laois County Council's reports about Portlaoise's rapid growth, and the concerns by local councillors that primary schools have no space.
It also does not consider that over 1,050 other new homes are already either under construction, approved and planned in Portlaoise.
Dargan Woods Devco Ltd has reapplied to build the next phase of the estate off the Borris Road in Portlaoise, following invalidation of the first and second applications by the planners. Phase one of 94 houses is still under construction.
The first, invalidated application had received two submissions against one of the proposed walkways through neighbouring estates.
A 'Child Demand Assessment' by RW Nowlan & Associates refers to the 2022 Census and a 2021 Department of Education report for its figures.
"The Department of Education and Skills (DES) reported in November 2021 that enrolment figures for primary schools in Ireland were likely to have reached peak levels in 2018 and are now projected to fall gradually to a low point in 2033, in line with revised M1F2 migration and fertility assumptions for the country prepared in 2020.
"It is anticipated that post-primary enrolments will continue to rise in the medium-term and will likely reach record levels in 2024.
"Using this assumption we can assume the future enrolment figures will be reduced from the above reviewed enrolment figures and demand will not significantly increase in the future and will likely fall. From these assumptions we can project that both primary and secondary school enrolments figures will be reduced at the point of this development's completion later this decade".
The analysis estimates that the 174 homes will add another 100 schoolgoing children to Portlaoise but "existing and proposed schools in the area are capable of catering for this proposed increase".
“Considering existing schools within a 3km radius of the subject site alongside policy documents, CSO data, it is concluded that the demand for school places due to this development is relatively low. Within the study area, a 3km radius from the subject site, there are 12 schools with a total enrolment of 6,214 students. There is also an additional 500 secondary school places under development now at Coláiste Dhun Masc.
“Based on the above demand estimate it can be assumed that approximately 100 school places will be required when this development is fully occupied. This consists of approximately 55 primary school spaces and 45 secondary school spaces. Considering existing facilities in the study area, proposed facilities, population demographics, relevant policy and guidelines, it is concluded that the existing and proposed facilities in the area can accommodate the potential increase in school age children."
However the Portlaoise Local Area Plan 2024 - 2030 projects a population increase of 4,316 up to 26,366 for Portlaoise in the four years to 2027.
In further proof of the town's predicted growth, Uisce Éireann is going to upgrade the town's sewage wastewater treatment plant to serve over 45,000 people.
Recently Portlaoise Municipal District councillors asked the Department of Education to consider building two more primary schools, such is the shortage of places in the town. They note that children moving into new houses beside the town's schools have to be "bussed out" to rural schools because there are no spaces.
The planning permission's survey also does not consider the amount of other new houses already approved planning permission in Portlaoise.
In the past four years, about 700 new homes have been granted approval, some of them not yet under construction. Another 217 homes at the Centrepoint site are about to be decided upon by the Laois planners.
Another 155 social homes are being built in Portlaoise this year for Laois County Council tenants.
Dargan Woods Devco Ltd has applied to Laois County Council to add another 160 houses, 14 apartments and a creche.
They are planned on two sites totalling 5.74ha north and south of the existing construction site, filling in more green areas between it and neighbouring housing estates.
A planning decision is due by the end of June.