Builder, Cairn Homes has secured planning permission for 329 new homes for Blessington, Co Wicklow.
The builder has secured planning permission despite some local opposition and Council planners concluding that the scheme materially contravened the Wicklow County Development Plan.
However, planning permission - which also includes an extension for the Blessington relief road and a new town park - was granted after the elected Council members resolved to materially contravene the county development plan at a Council meeting earlier this month.
The councillors materially contravened their plan following a recommendation from the Council executive to do so.
The scheme is made up of 270 houses, 47 apartments and 12 duplex units on a 25 hectare site within the townlands of Blessington Demesne, Newpaddocks and Santryhill, Blessington, Co. Wicklow.
The scheme also includes a 10 hectare town park and a planning report lodged with the application states that the development will make significant contribution toward long term policy objectives of Wicklow County Council, as well as provide significant infrastructure projects in the form of the town park and delivering an inner relief road in Blessington.
Council planners had determined that the Blessington Demesne Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) application materially contravened the development plan in relation to Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and sequential development of zoned land.
As part of the grant of permission, Cairn Homes must pay €2.79 million to the Council towards the upgrading of public infrastructure.
Uisce Eireann concluded that the site can cater for 550 homes on the site on condition that the applicant funds the necessary upgrades for water and waste-water infrastructure.
In granting planning permission for the scheme, the Council concluded that the scheme would not seriously injure the residential amenities of adjoining properties or the visual amenities of the area and would be acceptable in terms of environmental impact.
However, the Ballymore Eustace Community Development Association contended that Blessington doesn't have proper wastewater infrastructure capable of safely providing water services "and this application will only serve to exacerbate that problem".
The Association told the council that if 329 residential units are built in Blessington, "why should Ballymore Eustace be expected to fulfil the role of accepting wastewater into the Liffey through our village"
They stated that the Cairn proposal is not sequential and should be refused and is encouraging urban sprawl.
The Ballymore Eustace Trout and Salmon Anglers Association also requested that the scheme be refused.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
