Inspector’s Report PL09.249304 Development 16 no. Light Industrial Warehouse Units including all associated site works, roads and services. Location Monread Road, Naas, Co. Kildare. Planning Authority Kildare County Council Planning Authority Reg. Ref. 17/574 Applicant(s) Thoval Properties Ltd. Type of Application Permission Planning Authority Decision Grant permission with conditions Type of Appeal Third Party Appellant(s) Ronan Bolger Observer(s) Maryfield Court Management Company, John and Michelle Glenny. Date of Site Inspection 19th January 2018 Inspector Ciara Kellett PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 21 1.0 Site Location and Description 1.1. The appeal site is located c. 2.2km to the north-east of Naas town centre, off the Monread Road which leads to the Naas North junction of the M7 Motorway. The site is currently a greenfield site, stated as being 1.64Ha. 1.2. Its northern boundary immediately abuts the southbound lane of the M7 motorway. To the west there is an accommodation bridge over the M7 Motorway and to the west of that, lies industrial and warehousing units. To the east lies greenfields and beyond that, there is a retail park including a Smyth’s Toystore and Woodies DIY. Lying south of the site, there is a Nursing Home and a three storey apartment development, Maryfield Court. The appellant resides in Maryfield Court. 1.3. The overall site within the blue line is rectangular in shape. The area within the red line lies to the west of the overall site and immediately north of the apartment development. Access off Monread Road along Maryfield Road, between the apartments and nursing home, is shown within the red line boundary. 1.4. Appendix A includes maps and photos. 2.0 Proposed Development 2.1. The development as proposed is described as 16 no. Light Industrial/Warehouse Units (272.5sq.m each) housed in 2 no. blocks with a total proposed area of 4,472sq.m, accessed via the Maryfield Road, off the Monread Road. 2.2. Block 1 and 2 form part of a Masterplan of 5 Blocks. A Masterplan accompanied the application. Block 1 and 2 are within the red line on the drawing. Block 1 and 2 run perpendicular to the southbound lane of the motorway. Block 1 and 2 are noted as being Phase 1 of the development. The other 3 blocks form part of a future application indicated as being Phase 2. 2.3. Each block is indicated as a maximum of 7.4m high and two storeys. Each unit comprises a work floor at ground and first floor with an office at first floor. The facades comprise of a roller shutter door and an entrance door with a canopy over on the east and west elevations. Materials proposed include a select tegral cladding with alternating double glazed units and coloured panels at first floor and an engineered brick at ground floor. The southern façade facing the apartment PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 21 development comprises a mix of cladding and engineered brick. There is no glazing on this façade. 2.4. The units within each block are located in a back to back layout with each having frontage onto the internal distributor one way road. Parking spaces are laid out to the front of each unit and at the northern end of Block 2 and the southern end of Block 1. 2.5. The site will be accessed from the Maryfield Road which serves the Maryfield Court apartment development. The Nursing Home access is directly off the Monread Road. 2.6. The application was accompanied by an Architectural Design Statement, a Traffic and Transport Assessment, an Engineering Drainage Report and a Ground Investigation Report. 3.0 Planning Authority Decision 3.1. Decision The Planning Authority decided to grant permission, subject to 35 standard conditions. Condition no.2 states that the development permitted is for the two blocks only, and that it shall not be used for retail purposes or for use by visiting members of the public. 3.2. Planning Authority Reports 3.2.1. Planning Report The Planner’s Report is the basis for the Planning Authority decision. It includes: • Notes closest unit to the apartment block is located over 25m from the boundary of the apartment development and proposal is lower in height. Notes proposal to install a landscaped berm between both developments to reduce the visual impact of the proposal. • Has regard to the location of the site in close proximity to the M7 motorway, and to the previous zoning of the site for industrial uses in the Naas Environs Plan, as well as to the economic policies of the Kildare County Development Plan 2017 – 2023, and considers the proposal to be largely acceptable. PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 21 • Notes boundary treatment and screening proposals include maintaining existing screening on western boundary, and provision of landscaped berms on other boundaries which will serve to reduce the visual impact from the adjoining lands. • States that one of the central issues relates to the setback from the motorway. Table 17.8 of the County Development Plan 2017 – 2023 requires a building line setback of 91m. Notes that applicant has submitted numerous examples of recent developments within Naas where the setback has been permitted to be less than 91m. States that a question arises whether the Planning Authority is satisfied with the 35m proposed. Notes submission from TII raises no issue and neither does the Roads Department. Notes the setback is mentioned in the NRO report but is not raised as a request for Further Information. • Notes there are a number of technical matters raised by the internal departments and recommends Further Information is sought. Notes that a Flood Risk Assessment was not submitted. • States that the report of the EHO is noted, however, considers report from Environment Section appears to address noise matters arising. • Eight items of Further Information were sought with respect to services, flooding, swept path analysis, lighting and the third party submission. • The applicant responded addressing each issue and providing additional services drawings. With respect to the third party submission, the applicant refers to the Monread Road as being a high quality road, and that the existing carriageway and footpath extend beyond the entrance to the apartments, to provide access to the site which is zoned for light industry, and that the site is zoned for such uses. • Following assessment of the Further Information response, the Planner recommends a grant of permission. The decision was in accordance with the Planner’s recommendations. 3.2.2. Other Technical Reports • Area Engineer: No objection subject to conditions. PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 21 • Environment: No objection subject to conditions. • Water Services: Seeks Further Information, upon receipt no objection subject to conditions. • Transportation: No objection subject to conditions. • NRO: Raises issue with setback from motorway. • EHO: Raises issues with noise. • CFO: No objection subject to conditions. 3.3. Prescribed Bodies • Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII): No objection. • Irish Water: No objection subject to conditions. • Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: No submission. 3.4. Third Party Observations There was one third party submission from the appellant. Issues raised are similar to those in the appeal and are addressed in Section 6 below. 4.0 Planning History There are a number of planning applications on the site and in the vicinity. In summary, on the overall landholding: • KCC Reg. Ref. 09/314: Permission granted in March 2009 for modifications to previously approved industrial development Reg. Ref. 06/197, part of Block 8 and Block 9. These blocks are on the eastern portion of the overall landholding. No development on foot of this application has commenced and this permission has lapsed. • KCC Reg. Ref. 06/197: Permission granted in September 2008 for development on the overall site for 1 no. 3 storey office block and 3 no. 2 storey blocks consisting of 22 industrial/office units. No development on foot of this application has commenced and this permission has lapsed. PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 21 In the vicinity: • ABP Ref. 208620, KCC Reg. Ref. 04500080: Permission was refused in January 2005 for residential development of eight two bedroomed apartments and 22 car parking spaces within the Maryfield Court Development. 5.0 Policy Context 5.1. Kildare County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 5.1.1. The site is outside the boundary of the Naas Town Development Plan 2011 – 2017 (now expired) but was within the Environs Plan for Naas within the Kildare County Development Plan 2011 – 2017 (also expired). That Environs Plan identified the site as being zoned for Industry/Warehousing. 5.1.2. The site is subject to the policies and objectives of the Kildare County Development Plan 2017 – 2023 (the Plan). The Development Plan notes that the Naas Environs Plan will be subsumed into a Naas Local Area Plan which is currently being prepared by the Council. 5.1.3. Chapter 5 of the County Development Plan refers to Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism, Chapter 6 refers to Movement and Transportation, and Chapter 17 refers to Development Management Standards. 5.1.4. Chapter 5 sets out the economic hierarchy for Kildare. Policy ECD 5 (i) states: Promote and facilitate regional scale employment development as a priority in the Primary Economic Growth Centres of Maynooth and Leixlip/ Collinstown supported by Celbridge and Kilcock in the Metropolitan area; and Naas/Newbridge in the Hinterland area supported by Kilcullen and the Secondary Economic Growth Towns of Athy and Kildare. Policy ECD 7 states: Support and promote proposals for SME business development in centres where existing infrastructural facilities are available or where they can be provided with services and good communications PL09.249304 Inspector’s Report Page 6 of 21 5.1.5.