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General Report Template S. 6(7) of Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 Inspector’s Report on Recommended Opinion ABP-305726-19 Strategic Housing Development 547 no. residential units (279 no. houses, 268 no. apartments), 2 no. crèches and associated site works. Location Lissywollen, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Planning Authority Westmeath County Council Prospective Applicant Alanna Roadbridge Developments Ltd. Date of Consultation Meetings 11th December 2019 and 30th March 2020 Date of Site Inspection 30th November 2019 Inspector Una O'Neill ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 28 ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 28 Contents 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 4 2.0 Site Location and Description .............................................................................. 4 3.0 Proposed Strategic Housing Development .......................................................... 5 4.0 Planning History ................................................................................................... 6 5.0 National Policy ..................................................................................................... 6 6.0 Forming of the Opinion ...................................................................................... 10 7.0 The Consultation Meeting .................................................................................. 14 8.0 Second Submission from the Planning Authority ..Error! Bookmark not defined. 9.0 Second Consultation Meeting ............................................................................ 20 10.0 Assessment................................................................................................. 23 11.0 Recommended Opinion .............................................................................. 24 ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 28 1.0 Introduction Having regard to the consultation that has taken place in relation to the proposed development and also having regard to the submissions from the planning authority, the purpose of this report is to form a recommended opinion as to whether the documentation submitted with the consultation request under section 5(5) of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 - (i) constitutes a reasonable basis for an application under section 4, or (ii) requires further consideration and amendment in order to constitute a reasonable basis for an application under section 4. 2.0 Site Location and Description The appeal site is located approx. 1.2km to the northeast of Athlone Town Centre in County Westmeath. The site is bounded to the north by the N6 Athlone Relief Road and is accessed via an existing distributor road from the west, which also serves the Athlone Regional Sports Centre, Athlone Stadium, a primary school, and Brawny housing estate. To the immediate west, the site is bounded by a primary school, Scoil na Gceithre Máistrí. The southern boundary of the site is bounded by the Old Rail Trail Greenway, an existing pedestrian/cyclist route adjoining an old rail line, which forms a section of the Galway-Dublin National Cycle Network. The eastern boundary adjoins existing green field lands. The Brawny housing estate is located on both the north and south side of the existing road within the site. The boundary to the site excludes the existing estate and central section of green open space and includes the entire length of existing road up to and including the Ballymahon roundabout to the west and includes a route to the east through undeveloped lands, linking up with an existing narrow bohreen and connecting to Garrycastle roundabout, with this route to be upgraded and realigned to form part of an east-west link street as part of the development. The site comprises a stated gross area of 17.7 ha. The lands are predominantly greenfield/in agricultural use at present. ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 28 3.0 Proposed Strategic Housing Development The proposed development comprises 547 no. units comprising, 279 no. detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and 268 no. duplex and apartment units. The land is owned by Westmeath County Council and is being developed in partnership with Alanna Roadbridge Developments Ltd. The proposed development is to comprise 70% private housing and 30% social housing, with the Part V arrangements incorporated within the 30% social housing element of the scheme. The following details as submitted by the applicant are noted: Parameter Site Proposal Application Site 17.7 ha gross; 12.82 ha net. No. of Units 547 units (279 houses and 268 apartments). Density 43 units per hectare net. Height 2 storey dwellings; 3-5 storeys duplex and apartments. Parking 885 spaces (2 per house and 1.2 per apartment). Vehicular Access An access road is proposed to connect to the existing roadway at Scoil na gCeithre Máistrí which will extend to the Garrycastle Road adjacent to the ESB facility. This road is an objective of the Lissywollen South Framework Plan 2018-2024. The breakdown of unit types as submitted by the applicant is as follows: Unit Type 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4 bed Total Apartments 35 175 58 - 268 ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 28 Houses - 42 198 39 279 % Total 6% 40% 47% 7% 100% The development proposes an east-west link street (referred to as Lissywollen Avenue) through the site which will connect into the existing distributor road to the west and will traverse the lands to the east up to the roundabout at Garrycastle. It is proposed to upgrade the existing distributor road to the west with a segregated cyclepath, which will also connect into and traverse the development site. Four character areas are proposed with the development. • Character area 1 is the western portion of the site/western entrance to the site and consists of 168 no. duplex/apartment units in 9 no. blocks, including a single storey crèche at the ground level of one of the blocks (Block K) and 26 terraced and semi-detached housing backing onto the existing estate. • Character area 2 is located north and south of the existing central greenspace and consists of 84 semi-detached and terraced houses, and two apartment blocks (one to north of the road and one to the south). • Character area 3 is located to the north and northeast of the site, adjoining the N6 and at the eastern entrance to the development. This area consists of 85 semi-detached, terraced and duplex units, 6 apartments in one block and a crèche. • Character area 4 is located to the southeast of the site, south of the road/extended road and adjoining the greenway. This area consists of 142 detached, semidetached, terraces and duplex units. 4.0 Planning History No relevant planning history. 5.0 National Policy 5.1.1. Project Ireland 2040 - National Planning Framework ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 6 of 28 • National Policy Objective 2b: The regional roles of Athlone in the Midlands, Sligo and Letterkenny in the North-West and the Letterkenny-Derry and Drogheda- Dundalk-Newry cross-border networks will be identified and supported in the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. • National Policy Objective 3c: Deliver at least 30% of all new homes that are targeted in settlements other that the five cities and their suburbs, within their existing built-up footprints. • National Policy Objective 4: Ensure the creation of attractive, liveable, well designed, high quality urban places that are home to diverse and integrated communities that enjoy a high quality of life and well-being. • National Planning Objective 13: In urban areas, planning and related standards, including, in particular, height and car parking will be based on performance criteria that seek to achieve well-designed high quality outcomes in order to achieve targeted growth. These standards will be subject to a range of tolerance that enables alternative solutions to be proposed to achieve stated outcomes, provided public safety is not compromised and the environment is suitably protected. • National Policy Objective 27: Ensure the integration of safe and convenient alternatives to the car into the design of our communities, by prioritising walking and cycling accessibility to both existing and proposed developments and integrating physical activity facilities for all ages. • National Policy Objective 33: Prioritise the provision of new homes at locations that can support sustainable development and at an appropriate scale of provision relative to location. 5.1.2. Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines Having considered the nature of the proposal, the receiving environment, the documentation on file, including the submissions from the planning authority, I am of the opinion that the following policy documents and Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines are relevant: ABP-304601-19 Inspector’s Report Page 7 of 28 • Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009) and the accompanying Urban Design Manual: A Best Practice Guide (2009) • Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments (2018) • Urban Development and Building Heights, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018) • Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (2013) • The Planning System and Flood Risk Management (including the associated ‘Technical Appendices’) (2009) • Childcare Facilities – Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2001 and Circular PL3/2016 – Childcare facilities operating under the Early Childhood Care and Education
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