Plans submitted to amend and increase size of West Mayo housing development

The developers of a housing development on the outskirts of Westport have applied for planning permission to increase the number of units from 16 to 26.

Soir Siar Investments Limited, a Dublin-based company were granted planning permission in December to construct a housing development consisting of 16 dwellings in single and two storey and detached and semi-detached configurations on the site of the existing West Vets building.

During the planning process, the applicants submitted revised plans for the site on the West Road to increase the number of units to 26 but this was rejected by Mayo County Council who approved the original proposals.

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However, the developers have submitted a fresh application where they have applied to amend the planning permission to increase the size of the development to 26 units.

They propose to change the house typologies from four detached and 12 semi-detached units to a mix of 12 two and three storey terraced houses, seven apartments and seven duplex units.

These units would be three storey consisting of eight four-bedroom, eleven three-bed and seven two-bed sizes.

During the planning process for the previous application, the applicant proposed 'a major redesign' of the proposed scheme to increase the scale of the development to consist of 26 units.

The revised scheme submitted proposed the replacement of the four detached units and two semi-detached units along the northern boundary, with a terrace of buildings consisting of one three-bed dwelling house, and seven three-storey buildings containing two-bed apartments at ground floor level with four-bed duplex units above.

The revised proposals submitted also proposed the replacement of the two detached units and eight semi detached units along the western site boundary, with one three-unit terrace of three-bed units; one four-unit terrace of four-bed units and one three-unit terrace comprising two four-bed units and one four-bed unit.

The council planners stated that while the revisions proposed 'go some way' in softening the visual impact of retaining walls proposed along the northern site boundary, it was considered that the increase in the number of units proposed from 16 to 26 was 'excessive'.

They also added that the mix of units proposed does not result in 'an appropriate mix for a site on the edge of the town centre' and would be contrary to the objectives of the Westport Local Area Plan. Planning permission was granted for the 16 unit development subject to 21 planning conditions.

Meanwhile Kamport Limited has applied for planning permission to construct 30 housing/apartment units along the Turlough Road in Castlebar.

The proposed development will consist of the demolition of an existing derelict house and the construction of the 30 units to consist of 12 three-bed two storey semi-detached houses, four three-bed two storey terraced houses, seven two-bed single level ground floor apartments, six two-bed duplex apartments and one one-bed first floor single level apartment.