Plans for large residential/office development in Kilkenny refused by An Bord Pleanála
The development had previously been approved, with conditions, by Kilkenny County Council
An Bord Pleanála have refused to grant planning permission for a large residential/office development on the O'Loughlin Road in Kilkenny City.
Also planned was the demolition of the existing public house/restaurant and residential building on the site, as well as the existing out-offices, warehouse and other buildings.
Original plans submitted to Kilkenny County Council by the applicant in March 2022 consisted of multiple separated residential buildings, but these plans were deemed to 'lack cohesion' by the local authority as 'three very different design approaches were planned on the site'.
The applicant was subsequently requested by the local authority to revise the proposal to better reflect 'a unitary design philosophy'.
An amended design, a single building with a four-level element on the O'Loughlin Road side (three levels of residential over one level of entrance hall and office unit), was subsequently approved by Kilkenny County Council on March 2, 2023.
A number of interested parties who had previously submitted concerns to Kilkenny County Council about the development (the plans amassed a total fifty-eight submissions prior to its approval) then decided to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.
Following a site inspection, and further delays, An Bord Pleanála finally (June 13, 2024) decided to refuse permission to the applicant for the development on a number of grounds .
Having regard to the site location and the relevant provisions in the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027, it was considered that 'the proposed development, by reason of its height, scale, massing and density at this prominent site, on O’Loughlin Road, adjacent to two areas of open space and established two-storey dwellings, would constitute an overdevelopment of the site and would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity'.
Furthermore, the Board considered the development, as proposed, would be out of character with the pattern of development in the vicinity, would be substandard in its form, would not successfully respond to its setting, including proposed interfaces with areas of public open space and would seriously injure the visual amenities of the area.
Having regard to the Specific Planning Policy Requirement 4 of the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments 2023, the Board 'considered that the proposed accommodation would be substandard and would seriously injure the residential amenity of future occupants'.
Also, having regard to the site's zoning, the Board was not satisfied that a justification for the proposed office element of the development had been made.
They stated that the proposed development would, therefore, contravene the said Development Plan zoning objective and 'would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area'.