Public consultation opens on proposed 16-home development in Wicklow
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow County Council has begun the Part 8 public consultation for a proposed 16 unit housing development at Ballyguile More, Wicklow town, setting out plans for a compact scheme that would add a mix of apartments and houses to an established residential neighbourhood.
The proposal details eight one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom houses on a 0.39‑hectare site, accessed through the existing estate road serving Belmont Close, Ocean View and Mountain View.
The council describes the lands as underutilised and argues that their redevelopment would strengthen the surrounding area.
The accompanying site appraisal report emphasises that the site sits within the settlement boundary of Wicklow town, designated as a key town under both the county development plan and the regional spatial and economic strategy.
The lands are zoned RN – New Residential in the Wicklow town‑Rathnew Local Area Plan 2025–2031, which seeks high quality housing at appropriate densities with strong links to services and community facilities.
The report notes that the proposed density of approximately 41 dwellings per hectare fits comfortably within national guidance for sustainable residential development in urban areas.
The council highlights the site’s proximity to a wide range of amenities, describing it as a location where residents would be able to meet most daily needs on foot.
Within 500 metres are Holy Rosary National School, Dominican College, community facilities, Ballynerrin playground and a bus stop directly adjacent to the site.
A broader 1,000‑metre catchment includes Wicklow town centre, supermarkets, cafes, retail services, Wicklow library and the harbour.
The report argues that this level of accessibility supports the creation of a sustainable and inclusive community and reduces reliance on private cars.
The proposed layout includes internal roads, pedestrian connections, landscaped areas, public open space and 16 car parking spaces. Access would be entirely through the existing estate road network, avoiding any new junctions onto Ballyguile Road.
The council notes that the scale of the development is well below the threshold requiring a full traffic and transport assessment under Transport Infrastructure Ireland guidelines. Cycle parking is also included, with the council pointing to the availability of bus and rail services as part of a balanced approach to mobility.
Environmental and technical assessments indicate no significant constraints. A preliminary examination under article 120 of the planning and development regulations concludes that the development is not likely to have significant environmental effects and therefore does not require an environmental impact assessment.
A separate appropriate assessment screening found no risk to European sites, citing the absence of ecological or hydrological pathways and the modest scale of the works. Flood risk mapping confirms the site is outside flood zones A and B and sits at approximately 87 metres above ordnance datum, well above areas of Wicklow town historically prone to flooding.
Site investigations carried out in late 2025 identified made ground over competent natural soils, with no abnormal conditions that would preclude development. Uisce Éireann has confirmed that the site can be serviced, subject to a connection agreement.
The consultation, which runs until August 28, will inform the council’s final decision on whether to proceed or not with the scheme, which would deliver a modest, but policy-aligned, addition to Wicklow town’s housing stock.