Appeal lodged for Ballyvary housing development

Anton McNulty

A COUNTY Meath-based couple who were refused planning permission for a seven house development in Ballyvary have appealed the decision to An Bord PleanΡla.
Caroline and Veitch McCombs of Trim, Co Meath were refused planning permission to develop three three-bedroom houses and four four-bedroom houses in Ballyvary.
Mayo County Council refused permission on the grounds it would be unacceptable in terms of the proper planning and development of the area and would be a traffic hazard.
The proposed development was to be developed on a 0.626 hectare site along the N58 road to Foxford close to the junction for the N5 Dublin road. There are currently single dwellings located either side of the site and a small housing development located opposite the site entrance.
Objections to the proposed development were lodged with Mayo County Council by Deirbhile Ní Chionnaigh and Maureen Kenny, both of Straide Road, Ballyvary who outlined detailed reasons for objecting to the application.
The reasons for the objections included overdevelopment of the site, road safety, the development being out of character with the village, not in keeping with surrounding development sizes and lack of details on surface water.
During the planning process, Transport Infrastructure Ireland also expressed concerns over road safety in relation to the proposed development.
In refusing planning permission Mayo County Council stated that the proposed development would constitute random housing development in a rural area as it was outside the core facilities of Ballyvary village. They expressed concern that the development would lead to an increase in traffic and depreciate the value of property in the vicinity.
In appealing the decision, John Halligan on behalf of the applicants stated that while the site is identified as a rural area, it was council policy to support the growth and developments of towns and villages like Ballyvary.
He added that the site was in a 60km per hour zone and additional measures could be introduced to further reduce speed.
Regarding concerns over a foul pumping station, he stated that these were a standard design in housing developments and if properly designed and managed would not depreciate value of properties in the vicinity.
An Bord PleanΡla are due to make their decision on the case by September 18.