Community gathers in opposition to large residential development planned for Kilkenny

Approximately fifty people gathered in Saint John’s Community Hall in Kilkenny City on Wednesday to discuss a large residential building that has been earmarked for the parish.

Earlier this month, Kilkenny County Council approved the planning application for the building, due to be constructed on the O’Loughlin Road.

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That planning application amassed fifty-eight submissions prior to its approval, many from concerned nearby residents.

Many of these residents were present at Wednesday’s community meeting, so too were elected representatives Cllr Eugene McGuinness and Mayor David Fitzgerald.

The primary aim of the meeting was to come up with a united plan around submitting an appeal against the development's approval to An Bord Pleanála.

Meeting organiser Gabriel Murray commenced proceedings with a presentation relaying some of his concerns around the proposed development.

He raised concerns about the level of detail in some of the planning documents, the proximity of the development to a nearby historical graveyard, as well as potential parking issues along the street.

“I made attempts to engage with the applicant and the architect on these issues but have received no response,” Murray stated.

Murray subsequently opened up the discussion to the floor and Cllr Eugene McGuinness contributed.

McGuinness used his time to emphasise the need for an elected committee to be established to spearhead proceedings and then took some time to relay his own concerns around the development.

“I’ve gone on record as being against this from the start,” he said.

“To me, the development resembles a B&I ferry dropped into Assumption Place.”

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The building approved by Kilkenny County Council is a single building with a four-level element on the O'Loughlin Road side.

Three levels of residential over the ground floor drop to two levels of residential at the Assumption Place side.

34 residential units are to be contained within the building (a mix of one and two-bed, with one unit to be wheelchair livable).

The existing buildings on the site, including a public house/restaurant and residential building, are to be demolished.

Mayor Fitzgerald subsequently joined Cllr Eugene McGuinness on the floor to discuss details around the planning process to attendees.

It was made clear by the elected representatives that only those who made third party submissions to the original planning application can subsequently make third party appeals to An Bord Pleanála. 

It was also made clear that an appeal must be made within four weeks beginning on the date the planning authority makes its decision and that this is a strict time limit.

Fitzgerald also took some time during his contribution to make the point that ‘community meetings require transparency’ around the financing of any objection if it is to be done on a collective basis.

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Given that the local authority’s decision to grant planning permission was made on March 2, an appeal must be made to An Bord Pleanála by 5.30pm on March 29.

Cllr Eugene McGuinness wrapped up proceedings by agreeing to host clinics with the original objectors to brief them on the intricacies of the planning process and their options.

He also called for another meeting to be held in the near future to include all those who made submissions to the original application and other interested parties.

The date and time for this meeting is yet to be confirmed.