Plans for 68 new homes in Tipperary refused over road safety and zoning concerns
Plans for 68 new homes in Nenagh have been refused by Tipperary County Council over concerns about land zoning and road safety.
Pat Cummins applied to the council for permission to build 68 houses at Drummin in Nenagh.
The new homes would have been delivered under stage two, phase three and four of the Drummin Village development, extending the housing estate that is already there, planning files show.
The application shows that a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses would be built on the site.
An agent acting on behalf of Mr Cummins said that planning permission was granted for the first part of stage two in 2023, which will see 63 houses developed.
The 68 homes proposed in the latest application, combined with the 63 already granted permission, would bring the total number of homes in the development to 131
The proposed development would be “an appropriate extension of an existing housing development and makes efficient use of available serviced land”, the agent said.
Under the plans, seven of the new homes would be transferred to Tipperary County Council for use as social and affordable accommodation for people on the council’s housing list.
One of the residents of the Drummin Village estate, Donal Carr, objected to the planned development, saying that the use of the existing estate as an access road would increase traffic safety concerns.
“My main concern is road safety, especially for children who regularly walk between their homes and the two adjacent green areas within The Square,” he said.
“To enter new proposed development, cars will turn onto The Square, via The Avenue, and will travel down through The Square using entrance two for access to the new development.
“Currently there are no speed calming measures along this route and it is very dangerous for kids given the speed cars can attain on this stretch of road,” he added.
Mr Carr also said that the on-street parking arrangement means that visibility can be poor, and that cars parking on both sides of the road can make access narrower for vehicles passing through.
If the development is to be granted, he added, the council should require effective traffic calming measures through the estate.
He also raised concerns about the lack of a creché facility for an estate the size of Drummin Village.
However, Tipperary County Council planners decided to refuse planning permission for the development.
Planners said that while the majority of the land propsed for the new homes was zoned as residential, a portion of it was zoned for amenity use, which does not permit the development of residential homes.
“The current proposal seeks three dwellings and associated infrastructure (gardens, lighting, access roads, turning hammerhead, carparking and public open space) within this land-use.
“This aspect of the development proposal would be contrary to the zoning objective for ‘amenity’ use,” the planners said.
They also raised concerns about road safety in the proposed plans, saying they are “not satisfied that the proposal has adequately provided for vehicular and pedestrian safety”.
“Accordingly, it is considered that the proposal would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” the council added.