Refusal decisions · 27 Jul–2 Aug 2026

1. Having regard to the zoning objective of the site which is designated as ‘A1 Existing Residential’, within the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, and has a zoning objective ‘To protect and enhance the amenity and character of existing residential communities’, and the provisions relating to public open space as set out in Section 11.5.11 of the Development Plan and the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, it is considered that the proposed development, by reason of the reduction and loss of existing public open space associated with the adjacent ‘The Hollies’ development, would constitute a substandard form of development and an overdevelopment of the subject site and would seriously injure the residential amenity of the area and the amenities of the future occupants of the proposed dwellings and the existing and future occupants of ‘The Hollies’ development. Furthermore, the application and development description do not include a request for the amendment of Condition Nos. 1 and 5 of Planning Permission Ref. 21/387, which relate to the provision and retention of public open space serving the development, nor do they provide for the inclusion of ‘The Hollies’ development within the application site by way of an extension of the red line boundary. In the absence of such information and accompanying planning justification, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed loss of public open space is acceptable. To grant permission in these circumstances would be contrary to the provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027 and the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The Planning Authority is not satisfied, based on the information submitted, that the proposed development provides for a satisfactory access arrangement and internal road layout. In particular, the applicant has failed to demonstrate adequate and unobstructed visibility splays at the proposed priority junction, the proposed junction arrangement is not designed perpendicular to the Hazelwood Estate Road, and the proposed corner radii have not been demonstrated to comply with the principles and standards contained in the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS). Furthermore, the proposal fails to provide adequate details in relation to tactile paving, traffic signs and road markings, bin storage and bicycle storage facilities serving the proposed terraced dwellings. In addition, a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit has not been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed development can be accommodated safely. The Planning Authority is therefore not satisfied that the proposed development would provide for adequate pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular safety or a satisfactory standard of residential amenity and, consequently, the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development can be adequately served by an appropriately designed surface water drainage system. The applicant has failed to provide sufficient information in relation to the proposed surface water management strategy, including details of the proposed flow control device and associated infrastructure, evidence that the required greenfield runoff rate can be achieved, a breakdown of impermeable and permeable areas used in the drainage design, BRE 365 infiltration testing and groundwater level information, a detailed design of the proposed attenuation system, and written confirmation of consent to discharge surface water to the existing drainage network. In addition, the submitted proposals have not demonstrated compliance with sustainable drainage principles, including the appropriate location of soakaways, the provision of permeable paving, treatment of surface water runoff and pollution control measures. In the absence of this information, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development would not give rise to flooding, pollution, inadequate drainage infrastructure or adverse impacts on adjacent lands and the receiving drainage network. To grant permission in such circumstances would be contrary to Policy INF POL 16 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which seeks to ensure that all planning applications for new development have regard to the surface water management policies contained within the Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS). The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is a policy (RD POL 9) of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide”. Furthermore, policy RD POL 30 seeks, “To promote the viable re -use of vernacular dwellings without losing their character and to support applications for the sensitive restoration of disused vernacular or traditional dwellings”. The existing dwelling is considered to be a good example of vernacular dwelling in the rural area. The proposed development by reason of its siting and form is considered out of keeping and fails to integrate with the highly sensitive character of the immediate surrounding rural area and would form a visually obtrusive feature, which would not respect and integrate with the surrounding landscape. Accordingly, to permit the proposed development would be contrary to the policies and provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and thereby contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. It is a policy (RD POL 9) of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide”. Having regard to the siting and nature of the mobile home to be retained, it is considered that the development constitutes a substandard and temporary form of development that is out of character with the immediate surrounding rural area and would form a visually obtrusive feature, which would not respect and integrate with the surrounding landscape and would seriously injure the residential amenities of occupants of the structure, and would set an undesirable precedent for similar forms of development. Accordingly, to permit the proposed development would be contrary to the aforementioned policy provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. Policy RUR DEV SP 2 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 seeks to ensure that individual house developments in rural areas satisfy the housing requirements of persons who are an intrinsic part of the rural community in which they are proposed, subject to compliance with normal planning criteria. The applicant applied for permission based on Section 9.4 Persons who are an Intrinsic Part of the Rural Community under the following definition, “Persons who have spent substantial periods of their lives, living in rural areas as members of the established rural community for a period in excess of five years and who do not possess a dwelling or who have not possessed a dwelling in the past in which they have resided or who possess a dwelling in which they do not currently reside”. It is considered the applicant has failed to provide adequate and verifiable information to establish a rural housing need and hence the Planning Authority is not satisfied that that a rural housing need in accordance with the above provisions of the plan has been established. The proposed development would be contrary to the policy of the Ministerial Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities and the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and would establish a very undesirable future precedent.
2. It is the policy of the Council under RD POL 9 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027 ‘to require all applications for rural houses to comply with the Meath Rural House Design Guide’. Having regard to the elevated nature of the application site and design and appearance of thproposed development in particular the excessive height it is considered that the proposed development by reason of its siting, design, and layout would result in a strident and obtrusive physical development prominent in the landscape when viewed from the public road. In addition, it would set an undesirable precedent of a disorderly form of physical development currently free of development into the host environment in a manner seriously injurious to visual amenity of the rural landscape.
3. The proposed development would involve the creation of a new vehicular entrance onto the L‑2807 -0 public road where adequate traffic sightlines have not been demonstrated. In particular, the applicant has failed to provide unobstructed sightlines of 90 met res in both directions, measured to the nearside edge of the road from a set‑back of 2.4 metres, as required for a road with a 60 km/h speed limit. Furthermore, the entrance layout does not adequately demonstrate compliance with TII document DN‑GEO‑03060 and the Meath Rural Design Guide, including requirements relating to sight distance, entrance geometry, and the positioning of gates and entrance piers. In the absence of satisfactory sightlines and a compliant entrance design, the proposed development would endanger public road users by reason of traffic hazard and obstruction of visibility and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. The proposed development would involve the removal of substantial sections of front boundary/hedgerow to facilitate the domestic entrance. The Planning Authority actively discourages hedgerow removal in accordance with HER POL 37 of the Development Plan. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to policy HER POL 37 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, would set an undesirable precedent for similar type future development, would mitigate against the preservation of the rural environment, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The proposed development is located within a rural ‘Area Under Strong Urban Influence’ where it is a requirement for applicants to (i) comply with the Local Needs Qualifying Criteria as outlined in Section 9.4 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and to (ii) demonstrate a rural housing need. It is considered, based on the information submitted, that the applicant has not established a site specific rural generated housing need for a dwelling in this rural location. The proposed development would be contrary to the policy of the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities and the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and would establish a very undesirable future precedent.

1. Policy RUR DEV SP 2 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 seeks to ensure that individual house developments in rural areas satisfy the housing requirements of persons who are an intrinsic part of the rural community in which they are proposed, subject to compliance with normal planning criteria. The applicant applied for permission based on Section 9.4 Persons who are an Intrinsic Part of the Rural Community under the following definition, “Persons who have spent substantial periods of their lives, living in rural areas as members of the established rural community for a period in excess of five years and who do not possess a dwelling or who have not possessed a dwelling in the past in which they have resided or who possess a dwelling in which they do not currently reside”. It is considered the applicant has failed to provide adequate and verifiable information to establish a rural housing need and hence the Planning Authority is not satisfied that that a rural housing need in accordance with the above provisions of the plan has been established. The proposed development would be contrary to the policy of the Ministerial Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities and the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and would establish a very undesirable future precedent.
2. The proposed development is located in a rural area where the pattern of development is characterised by low-density housing on road frontage sites. The proposed development by reason of its back- land location is considered to be out of context with the nature of existing development in the area and if permitted would constitute the unacceptable and haphazard development of back lands. The proposal would, therefore, be seriously injurious to the residential amenities of property in the vicinity and would set an undesirable precedent for further such development and as such would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Section 42(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000-2023 states that, on application and subject to subsection (8), a planning authority shall extend the appropriate period by such additional period not exceeding five years as it considers requisite to enable the development to be completed, provided that the authority is satisfied that the development commenced before expiration of the appropriate period, substantial works were carried out pursuant to the permission during that period, and the development will be completed within a reasonable time. The development to which the permission relates has not commenced nor have substantial works been carried out on site. Therefore, the application to extend the appropriate period is not considered to be in accordance with Section 42(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000-2023.

1. The Planning Authority notes that the public notices and development description fail to reference the retention of existing temporary structures located on the site. To grant permission for the proposed development in the absence of an explicit applicatio n for retention permission would serve to facilitate unauthorised development on the site, and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. It is also considered that the design of the temporary structures would not be in keeping with the visual amenity or character of the rural area.
2. It is considered that the proposed development by virtue of its temporary nature and intended use as a place of worship and school proposed to be located in the rural area which is zoned RA ‘Rural Area’ in the Meath County Development Plan would not accord with the zoning objective for RA ‘to protect and promote in a balanced way, the development of agriculture, forestry and sustainable rural -related enterprise, community facilities, biodiversity, the rural landscape, and the built and cultural heritage.’ Place of worship is not listed as a permitted use nor a use open for consideration under the RA Zoning Objective. Furthermore, it is considered that the proposed development would not accord with SOC POL 47 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027, wh ich seeks to encourage and facilitate the development of places of worship in appropriate locations in urban centres and proximate to residential communities. Therefore, the proposed development would not accord with a zoning objective and SOC POL 47 outli ned in the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027 and would set an undesirable precedent for other similar developments, which would in themselves and cumulatively not be in the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is an objective (DM OBJ 11) of the Meath County Plan 2021 – 2027 to require “Existing trees and hedgerows of biodiversity and/or amenity value shall be retained, where possible” and a policy (RD POL 9) “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide’”. The proposed boundary fence and by reason of its design, appearance and siting along the adjoining road would be out of keeping with the rural character of the surrounding area and would have a harmful impact on the visual amenity of the surrounding area and would establish an undesirable precedent for similar types of developments. It is considered that the proposed development would conflict with the policies and objectives of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and with the provisions of the Meath Rural House Design Guide, would establish an undesirable future precedent and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 -2027, “ To encourage the retention of hedgerows and other distinctive boundary treatments in rural areas and prevent loss and fragmentation, where practically possible. Where removal of a hedgerow, stone wall or other distinctive boundary treatment is unavoidable, mitigation by provision of the same type of boundary will be require” (HER POL 37) and “To discourage proposals necessitating the removal of extensive amount of trees, hedgerows and historic walls or other distinctive boundary treatments”. (HER POL 53). The proposed removal of c. 60m of hedgerow and the erection of a 2.1m fence is considered to be in contrast to the aforementioned policy and will result in fragmentation of hedges and trees. To permit the proposed development would contravene the policy and objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and would thereby establish an undesirable future precedent and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027, “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide”. (RD POL 9). The applicant has not provided suitable detail relating to the proposed finish of the existing dwelling by way of a sample of the proposed stone finish. It is therefore considered that to permit the proposed development would contravene the aforementioned policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 - 2027 and seriously injure the amenities in the vicinity and would thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. The applicant has not demonstrated that unobstructed sightlines in accordance with TII document DN - GEO-03060 can be provided from the existing entrance following the proposed works. The development, if permitted, would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard, would set an undesirable precedent and would therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.