‘It would put Graceland to shame’ – concerns house being built in Wexford has breached planning permission
Wexford PeopleA house which would “put Graceland to shame” being built in a residential area of New Ross may be the subject of an enforcement order from Wexford County Council (WCC). Raising his concerns at the monthly meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD), Councillor Michael Sheehan asked whether the council’s planning department were aware of the scale of this development.
“Once planning permission is granted how often do we check the site to ensure what’s being built is in line with what was granted?” he asked. There’s a house being built which would put Graceland to shame, in terms of the size and the scope, I’d like to say it’s in fitting with the rest of the street but there’s no way it is. I’d be very concerned about some of the decisions which have been made by our planning section.”
Cllr Bridín Murphy had a further example of a development potentially operating outside its planning permission.
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“There’s a house in the district which was started two years ago but there are now seven mobile homes on that site,” she said. “There is a lot of complaints about it coming from neighbours. Can we get a classification on that site? Is there grounds for an enforcement case?”
Explaining that any applicant has five years to “execute their permission”, senior planner Abigail Nuzum said “if unauthorised structures have been placed on a site or there’s intensification or change of use, our planning enforcement team would look at it”.
However, she admitted that WCC did not typically have the “resources to ensure every single development is compliant” and that “it’s up the developer to ensure they’ve complied with the permission granted”.
Planning enforcement is the process by which Local Authorities ensure that developments are carried out in accordance with granted planning permissions, conditions, and relevant planning laws.