Planning permission granted for new affordable housing in Laois

Laois County Council has granted permission to the construction of new affordable housing in Portlaoise, amending land zoning to allow it go ahead.

Located at Rockview Avenue in the Rockview housing estate on the Mountrath Road, Portlaoise, the construction will consist of six two storey 3 bedroom dwelling units consisting of five terraced split-level houses and two semi-detached houses.

The new properties will have a new vehicular entrance to the existing estate road, 12 parking spaces, boundary treatments, landscaped amenity space, local road and footpaths, and all associated site infrastructure works.

The council had to contravene the zoning map in the current county development plan to allow the houses to go ahead, on a 0.17 hectare site to the back of the existing Rockview housing estate, adjoining the railway line.

Rockview estate in Portlaoise. Image: Google Maps

Last January councillors agreed to Laois County Council CEO Michael Rainey's recommendation to grant a Material Contravention on the land which is zoned as 'open space and amenity' in the county development plan.

The council planners explained that it still leaves over 10% of the overall Rockview housing estate as an public open space, and that it will give additional houses in Portlaoise town where there is a high demand. They also said that houses had been previously given planning permission on the site.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy proposed the contravention, seconded by Cllr Marie Tuohy. 

Some of the 21 planning conditions include compliance with Uisce Éireann standards code, dust minimisation during construction and minimal traffic disruption.

The planning application was submitted on August 28, 2024 by Cosmo Developments Rockview Ltd. and a decision was made on February 18, 2025.

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