Wicklow family to get larger home as councillors back €127,000 council house attic extension

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Wicklow County Council has approved a proposal to construct an attic extension at a council house in Bray, clearing the final hurdle after environmental assessments found the small scale project would not give rise to any significant effects.

The decision, made at the district’s September monthly meeting, followed a detailed preliminary examination, a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening determination and a site appraisal, all of which concluded that the extension could proceed without the need for an EIA.

The house, a two-storey semi‑detached dwelling built by the council in the 1970s in Kilbride Grove, sits within an established residential neighbourhood in the townland of Kilbride.

The proposal aims to create additional living space for a large family by converting the attic and adding two bedrooms, supported by a substantial rear dormer that will sit below the existing ridge line.

According to the council’s own appraisal, the works will not affect the visual character of the street, will not reduce separation distances to neighbouring homes and will not give rise to overlooking or overshadowing.

The environmental documentation prepared for the Part 8 process was clear in its conclusions. The preliminary examination stated that the project involves only minor works to an existing house and falls far below the 500 unit threshold for mandatory EIA. It noted that a section of roof would be removed to facilitate the dormer, but described this as routine construction rather than demolition.

Waste generated during the build would be minimal and handled by licensed operators. Noise and emissions would be limited to normal construction activity and managed through standard controls.

The report also confirmed that the site is zoned for future residential use, is already developed and does not lie within or near any protected environmental or archaeological designations.

A separate EIA screening determination, signed by senior council officials, reinforced that conclusion.

It found that the attic extension does not fall within any class of development requiring mandatory assessment under planning and development regulations and, when considered against the criteria for sub threshold projects, does not have the potential to cause significant environmental impacts. The order formally states that an EIA “will not be required to accompany the proposal”.

The site appraisal report added further context, confirming that the property is not at risk of flooding, has access to all existing services and does not sit within any Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area.

It also noted that no protected structures or recorded monuments are present on the site. The council described the location as a brownfield site where no ground contamination is anticipated.

With the environmental and planning assessments complete, councillors turned their attention to the social and financial aspects of the proposal during their meeting.

Cllr Joe Behan, who proposed adoption of the Part 8, said the extension was needed to meet the needs of a very large family living in the house.

He told colleagues that no similar type of accommodation was available in the area and praised the family as excellent neighbours and active members of the community.

His remarks set the tone for a discussion that balanced support for the household with questions about cost and wider housing pressures.

Cllr Erika Doyle asked whether the council had explored offering alternative accommodation to the family and raised concerns about the projected cost of the works. She noted that, while the initial estimate was around €127,000, the final figure could be closer to €200,000.

Cllr Doyle questioned whether this represented value for money and whether the council should instead consider other options, given the number of people on the housing waiting list. Her comments reflected a broader debate within local authorities about how best to allocate limited housing budgets while responding to individual family needs.

Cllr Caroline Winstanley sought clarity on the impact the project might have on the council’s housing budget for the remainder of the year.

No dissenting views were expressed on the environmental or planning aspects of the proposal, and councillors did not challenge the findings of the screening reports, which had already ruled out any significant environmental effects.

Despite the concerns raised, the Part 8 proposal was approved without dissent. The project now moves from the planning stage into delivery. The decision means the attic extension is formally authorised.

The next steps fall entirely within the council’s housing and capital works functions. Officials will prepare the final tender documents, confirm the scope of the works and issue procurement notices so that contractors can bid for the job.

Towards the end of the discussion district officials indicated the attic extension is a modest intervention in an existing home. Officials made clear that, in this case, adapting an existing dwelling is the most practical solution.