Appeal to An Bord Pleanála on Longford development ‘invalid’

An appeal against a 93 house development at Ard Michael, Longford was deemed invalid when the objector did not include the statutory fee. Longford County Council planners granted planning permission to developers for the large housing development in the county town last December.

Adaview Ltd's planning application to Longford County Council to build the 93 houses at Ard Michael, Longford last July, was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

This week An Bord Pleanála told the Leader that the objection was not processed, saying: “The appeal was not accompanied by the correct statutory fee and therefore was deemed invalid as per section 127(1)(f) of the Planning and Development 2000 Act (as amended). There has not been any further appeal received. The deadline to lodge an appeal has passed as per section 251 of the Act.”

The local authority approved plans are for dwellings comprising two two-storey three-bed detached houses, 44 three-storey three-bed semi-detached houses, 28 three-storey three-bed terraced houses and 19 two-storey two-bed terraced houses.

Twenty-five of the houses will be accessed off the existing Ard Michael Road and 68 houses will be accessed off Oaklands Avenue. The development will include cycle paths, landscaped open space, and all associated site works.

The local planners received 12 submissions on the application. State bodies Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Irish Water made submissions to the local authority planners. Residents' concerns about traffic management and the removal of mature oak trees, while the Board of Management of St Emer's NS also referenced traffic management concerns.

The 16 conditions included measures to protect existing structures, adherence to submitted plans, landscaping, water and wastewater considerations, the provision of a bond of €930,000 and a development fee of €225,990.