Donegal County Council approves 260-unit Letterkenny housing development

Donegal County Council has granted conditional planning permission for a large-scale Letterkenny residential development consisting of 260 residential units, a large shop and a creche.

PJ McDermott, the listed applicant, secured the conditional permission for the development at a site located in Northwest Letterkenny, between Glencar Irish and Glencar Scotch. 

The permitted application consists of plans for 260 residential units, comprising 90 dwellings, 10 duplex units containing 10 apartments and 10 dwellings, 150 apartments, a neighbourhood centre containing an 800 square metre retail shop, and a 536 square metre creche with associated car parking. 

A duo of connection roads, including pedestrian and cycle access from Grange Road, was also part of the proposals.

Landscaped open spaces, children’s soft play area, a multi-use games area, bus stops, footpaths, cycle paths, carparking, and all associated site development works and infrastructure, and services were included in the application. 

Harley Planning Consultants Ltd, in the application said that Donegal County Council issued a Large Residential Development (LRD) Opinion in March 2025, which “confirmed that the principle of the proposed development was generally acceptable given the site is zoned ‘Primarily Residential’ in the Letterkenny Local Area & Transport Plan 2023-29 and was consistent with the objectives of the County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030.”

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The site has been a source of local contention, as PJ McDermott was a listed applicant for another development, which planned for 180 residential units, including 156 houses and eight apartment blocks to be built over 10 years at the site.

Donegal County Council had granted planning permission for those proposals in June 2024, but they were later overturned by An Coimisiún Pleanála in the summer of 2025. 

In March 2024, long-time residents in the Glencar area of Letterkenny vowed to resist “at all costs” the previous development plans in the area.

The Old Glencar Road Residents, Solomon’s Grove Residents, and Upper Fernhill Residents’ Association groups had signed a joint objection to An Coimisiún Pleanála of the previous planned development, which they branded “grossly excessive.”

Separate developers, PJ Sweeney and Geoffrey House, had an application granted for 418 residential units granted at the site in 2008, a decision that was upheld by An Bord Pleanála in May 2010; however, an application to extend the duration of the permission by Ciaran Sweeney in July 2020 was denied by Donegal County Council.

Donegal County Council granted the application planning permission with 39 conditions, including a condition that the developer should pay a contribution of €526,424.60 in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the area of the Planning Authority that is already provided, or is intended will be provided by the Authority.

A separate condition was that prior to the commencement of development, the developer shall provide adequate security to the Planning Authority for the provision and completion of all services required in the sum of €1.3 million, in the form of either a bond of a banking or insurance company acceptable to the Planning Authority, a cash deposit, or any such security that the Council may approve.