And Residential Tenancies Act 2016 Inspector's Report ABP307014-20
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S.4(1) of Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 Inspector’s Report ABP307014-20 Development 137 residential units comprising of 61 apartments in two apartment blocks together with 51 duplex apartments and 25 semi-detached and terraced houses in a two to five storey development. Location Walkers Lane, Annacotty, County Limerick. Planning Authority Limerick City and County Council. Applicant Regal Park Developments Limited. Type of Application Strategic Housing Development. Observers Nick and Margaret O’Mara Gerard and Elizabeth Stundon Duncan Kerin Yvonne O’Byrne ABP307014-20 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 73 Colman and Elizabeth O’Leary Residents of Carrinderry Tessa Blaser Colm Breen Peter Doyle Anne O’Donnell Joe and Una McEntee Edward and Helen McLoughlin Paula and Mary McCarthy Irish Water Paul and Valerie Harman Vincent and Elizabeth Sutton Prescribed Bodies Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Irish Water Date of Site Inspection July 22nd 2020 Inspector Paul Caprani. ABP307014-20 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 73 Contents 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 5 2.0 Site Location and Description .............................................................................. 5 3.0 Proposed Development ....................................................................................... 6 4.0 Planning History ................................................................................................. 10 Subject Site .............................................................................................................. 10 5.0 Section 5 Pre-Application Consultation .............................................................. 11 5.1. The Recommended Opinion of the Board ................................................... 11 6.0 Application submitted to the Board. ................................................................... 16 6.1. Applicant’s Statement ................................................................................. 18 7.0 Relevant Planning Policy ................................................................................... 25 7.1. The National Planning Framework (Project Ireland 2040). .......................... 26 7.2. The Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments 2018 27 7.3. Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas Guidelines 2009 ..... 28 7.4. The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region (RSES) ................................................................................................................. 28 7.5. Local Planning Policy - Limerick County Development Plan 2010 (CDP) ... 30 7.6. The Castletroy Local Area Plan 2019-2025 ................................................ 31 7.7. Natural Heritage Designations .................................................................... 34 8.0 Observations...................................................................................................... 34 8.1. Proscribed Bodies ....................................................................................... 41 8.2. Chief Executive Officer’s Report on behalf of the Planning Authority .......... 41 9.0 EIAR Screening Determination .......................................................................... 45 ABP307014-20 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 73 10.0 Assessment................................................................................................. 45 10.1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 45 10.2. Principle of Development ......................................................................... 46 10.3. Density Issues.......................................................................................... 47 10.4. Height & Design Issues ............................................................................ 50 10.5. Housing Mix ............................................................................................. 52 10.6. Overlooking and Overshadowing Issues .................................................. 54 10.7. Traffic Access and Car Parking ............................................................... 55 10.8. Other Issues ............................................................................................ 60 11.0 Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................. 64 11.1. Screening Report Submitted with the Application .................................... 64 11.2. Assessment of AA Screening Report by Limerick City and County Council 66 11.3. Independent Screening Assessment by An Board Pleanála .................... 67 12.0 Overall Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................. 72 13.0 Decision ...................................................................................................... 73 14.0 Reasons and Considerations ...................................................................... 73 ABP307014-20 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 73 1.0 Introduction The proposal before the Board seeks permission to develop 137 residential units comprising of 61 apartments in two apartment blocks together with 51 duplex apartments and 25 semi-detached and terraced houses in a two to five storey development on a site in the suburban area of Annacotty in the eastern environs of Limerick City. The application is made under the provisions of Section 4(1) of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016. 2.0 Site Location and Description 2.1. The greenfield site is roughly rectangular in shape and occupies an area of 2.591 hectares. It is located on the eastern environs of Limerick City approximately 6 kilometres from the city centre. The site is located to the immediate south of the former N7 National Primary Route linking Dublin with Limerick which has been re- designated as the Regional Route R445. The Annacotty Roundabout is located to the immediate north-west of the subject site. This is a busy intersection, providing access to the city centre to the west and to the IDA National Technology Park to the north. The local road L1165 runs along the western boundary of the site, this road is commonly referred to as the Castletroy College Road. The southern boundary of the site is also bounded by a roadway, known locally as Walkers Lane it serves the dwellings to the east and south-east of the subject site and also leads eastwards towards the village of Annacotty. Walkers Lane currently has no footpath along its alignment in the vicinity of the site. The R445 is a four-lane carriageway running along the northern boundary of the site. The roads along the southern and western boundary of the site are single lane carriageways. 2.2. The site itself is currently undeveloped and under grass. There are a number of stands of mature and semi-mature trees located along the perimeter of the site with the most densely populated stands located along the northern boundary and south- western boundary of the site. The site incorporates a slight downward slope from 1 Including 0.08 ha of lands owned by Limerick City and County Council which have been incorporated into the site for road improvement works along Walkers Lane. ABP307014-20 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 73 south - east to north- west. The slope incorporates a differential of 3 to 4 meters. A low boundary timber fence runs along the western boundary of the site while a post and wire fence runs along its southern boundary. Footpaths and public lighting surround the perimeter of the site, with the exception of Walkers Lane. The boundary along the eastern side of the site separates the subject site from two adjoining dwellings one facing northwards onto a local road which runs off the R445 while the southern dwelling faces southwards onto Walker’s Lane adjacent to the southern boundary of the site. 2.3. In terms of surrounding land uses, the prevailing land uses on adjacent lands comprise of low density detached single storey and two storey dwellings. Lands to the immediate north of the site on the northern side of the R445 are currently undeveloped, as are lands to the west of the site on the opposite side of the L1165. In terms of wider land uses in the area, the Castletroy Shopping Centre is located approximately 1 kilometre to the west of the site and a smaller neighbourhood shopping centre (Newtown Shopping Centre) is located approximately half a kilometre to the south of the site, in the vicinity of a neighbourhood park and Castletroy College Secondary School. These amenities and facilities are accessed via the L1165 to the south west of the site. There are a number of high-tech enterprises located within the National Technology Park to the north of the site including Johnson & Johnson Visioncare facility off the Plassey Park Road which runs northwards from the R445. Annacotty Village is located approximately 0.5 Km to the east of the site. This village also a number of community services, a restaurant/takeaway, public house and retail outlets. 3.0 Proposed Development 3.1. Planning permission is sought for a residential development on the subject site comprising of 137 units with a sole access onto the local road which runs along the southern boundary of the site - Walkers Lane. Unit Mix 3.2. It is proposed to accommodate two apartment blocks on the western side of the site. Block A comprises of a five-storey apartment block located in the