Mayor among those appealing housing development in Kilkenny to An Bord Pleanála

Plans for a new residential development in Kilkenny have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, and Mayor of Kilkenny Joe Malone is listed one of the four active appellants to the scheme.

The original plans submitted by Madill Property Limited back in February sought to develop 53 new dwelling units at Rath Ullard, Bonnetsrath, Kilkenny.

These dwellings were planned to be delivered in a number of types, including detached, semi-detached and duplex units — as well as a four-storey apartment building and a three-story mixed use retail apartment building.

In his original submission to the local authority, Cllr Malone acknowledged the scale of the current housing crisis but stated that ‘the subject lands are not zoned for high density residential uses, as currently proposed’.

Cllr Malone continued: “The subject proposal does not accord with the basic zoning objectives set down in the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027.”

He stated that the development would be ‘contrary to the established and permitted character of the Rath Ullard and adjoining residential areas’.

The mayor also raised concerns over the detail provided by the applicant in relation to the commercial aspect of the plans, stating that ‘the plans as submitted with the planning application do not detail proposed internal layouts’.

After a period of further information, Madill Property Limited provided new items requested of them to the local authority.

These included, amongst other items, a new traffic and transport assessment, a detailed sightline and visibility splays drawing, a mobility management plan and ‘a revised site layout plan which clearly shows an overlay of the development plan zonings for the site’.

The local authority then decided to grant permission, subject to 30 conditions, on November 5, 2023.

This decision was then appealed to An Bord Pleanála on November 27, 2023.

A final decision is expected by April 9, 2024.