Kilkenny housing scheme rejected amid concerns for protected species

Plans for a residential development of 39 homes on the Sion Road in Kilkenny City have been refused by An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP), overturning an earlier decision by Kilkenny County Council to grant conditional planning permission.

The proposed development, by Oakmane Limited, was earmarked for the former Sion Hermitage lands, a site extending to approximately 3.8 hectares on the outskirts of the city.

The application, lodged in July 2025, originally sought permission for 39 new dwellings comprising a mixture of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, predominantly single-storey detached and semi-detached properties, alongside a smaller number of two-storey houses.

The plans also included the demolition of two existing buildings, alterations, an extension and renovation works to another building to provide a four-bedroom dwelling, and the partial demolition and conversion of a further building into a communal facility for residents.

Additional works included a new entrance onto Sion Road, alterations to an existing entrance, a new roadside footpath, landscaping, public open space, boundary treatments and associated infrastructure.

Kilkenny County Council initially sought further information on 23 matters, resulting in revisions to the proposed layout, before deciding on June 2, 2026, to grant permission subject to 25 conditions.

These included amendments to the layout of houses numbered 10 to 15 to facilitate tree retention, alterations to boundary walls and the provision of a playground.

However, the council's decision was subsequently appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála by two residents of a neighbouring housing development, who raised concerns about privacy, security, boundary treatments and increased activity in adjoining woodland.

Following its assessment, An Coimisiún Pleanála refused permission on October 13, 2026, identifying four principal grounds for its decision.

A central concern related to the potential environmental impact of the development, particularly its proximity to the River Barrow and River Nore Special Area of Conservation and the River Nore Special Protection Area.

The Commission considered the submitted Natura Impact Statement inadequate, identifying deficiencies in the assessment of a proposed stormwater detention basin, increased human activity within protected habitats and potential impacts on water quality.

It also highlighted insufficient information concerning potential impacts on otters and kingfishers, including the absence of up-to-date wildlife surveys and adequate details of measures to prevent disturbance during construction and operation.

The Commission concluded that adverse effects on the integrity of the protected European sites could not be excluded beyond reasonable scientific doubt.

Separate concerns arose over the adequacy of bat surveys, with the Commission finding that the information submitted did not meet best-practice requirements or demonstrate that protected bat roosts would be safeguarded from undue disturbance or destruction.

The proposed layout also came under scrutiny, particularly in relation to residential privacy, the quality of a proposed pedestrian route, the absence of passive surveillance and the treatment of the site's historic garden.

ACP additionally found that the development failed to provide the minimum 10% public open space required under the Kilkenny County Development Plan 2021–2027, resulting in what it considered a substandard level of residential amenity for future occupants.