Refusal decisions · 10–16 Aug 2026

The site of the proposed development is within an ‘Area under Strong Urban Influence’ as identified in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 2005) and in a ‘Rural Area under Strong Urban Influence’, which is demonstrating pressure for individual dwellings, and where housing is restricted in accordance with the policies set out in the Meath County Development Plan 2021 - 2027. It is a policy (RD POL 3) of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 - 2027, “To protect areas falling within the environs of urban centres in this Area Type from urban generated and unsightly ribbon development and to maintain the identity of these urban areas”. Having regard to (i) the siting of the proposed dwelling to the east and west of an existing linear pattern of development along local road L-1002-4, and (ii) to the density, pattern and build-up of continuous road frontage development at this rural location, it is considered that to permit the proposed development would by itself and by the ‘infill’ sites it would create, result in an undesirable extension and coalescence of a disorderly and regimental line of ribbon development, which would be visually prejudicial to the amenities of the area and therefore 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 such as consistent proof of address for at least five years 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 (RD POL 9) of the Meath County Development 2021 – 2027, “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide’” which seeks to avoid elevated and exposed sites as detailed in section 2.3 of said document. Having regard to the elevated and exposed nature of the application site with it is considered that the proposed development in particular the two storey nature 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. Accordingly, to permit the proposed development would be contrary to the aforementioned policy provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and therefore contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. !

Section 42(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000-2023 states, “On application to it in that behalf, but subject to subsection (8), ] a planning authority shall, as regards a particular permission, extend the appropriate period by such additional period not exceeding 5 years. as the authority considers requisite to enable the development to which the permission relates to be completed provided that each of the following requirements is complied with: (a) (i) the authority is satisfied that— (I) the development to which the permission relates was commenced before the expiration of the appropriate period sought to be extended, (II) F391[...] (III) substantial works were carried out pursuant to the permission during that period, and (IV) 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 & Development Act 2000-2023.

1. The site is located in a rural area outside any designated settlement as defined in the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 where development which is not rurally generated should be more properly located in settlement centres. It is policy of the County Development Plan to restrict housing in this area to those who are intrinsically part of the rural community and do not currently own a property or who have an occupation predominantly based in the rural community. It is considered, based on the information submitted, that the applicant has not established a rural generated housing need for a dwelling in this location. The local need detail submitted do not show the applicant's continuous connection to the rural area over a significant period of time — due to the applicant's home location within the urban settlement, it considered that the proposed dwelling would be urban generated housing. The proposed development would accordingly be contrary to the policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities 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 site of the proposed development is within an 'Area under Strong Urban Influence' as identified in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 2005) and in a 'Rural Area under Strong Urban Influence', which is demonstrating pressure for individual dwellings, and where housing is restricted in accordance with the policies set out in the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027. The proposed development, if permitted, would add to the pattern of linear housing along this section of public road and exacerbate the existing ribbon of development to the extent that it would represent an excessive concentration and density of residential development and in doing so create additional development opportunities that would further exacerbate the situation. Bearing in mind the extent of development already permitted in this area, it is considered that the proposed development, if permitted, would be contrary to the aforementioned Ministerial Guidelines and contravene the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 RD POL3, which seek to maintain the identity of surrounding towns, villages and rural settlements. The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. It is a policy (RD POL 43) of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, "To ensure that the required standards for sight distances and stopping sight distances are in compliance with current road geometry standards as outlined in the NRA document Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) specifically Section TD 41-42/09 when assessing individual planning applications for individual houses in the countryside ". Having regard to the failure of the particulars submitted with the application to demonstrate visibility splays in accordance with the DMRB requirements and Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, the Planning Authority is not satisfied on the basis of the information submitted that safe visibility splays can be provided in each direction to the required standards. Accordingly, to permit the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard, contrary to the aforementioned policy provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, and thereby contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is the objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 “To protect and conserve the architectural heritage of the County and seek to prevent the demolition or inappropriate alteration of Protected Structures”. (HER POL 14). By virtue of the prominent location and design of the proposed development, the Planning Authority considers that if permitted, the development would adversely impact upon the setting and character of the protected structure and neighbouring protected structures. Further, the Planning Authority considers that the development would not have the capacity to assimilate into its surroundings and would injure the amenities of the surrounding area. It is therefore considered that the proposed development would contravene the aforementioned objective of the County Development Plan, be contrary to the aforementioned Ministerial Guidelines, establish an undesirable future precedent and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The proposed digital signage is incompatible with the principles of the Kells Conservation Area and is deemed inappropriate within the context of Meath County Council's Shopfront Design Guide. The signage would not be in accordance with the particulars of DM OBJ 103, given that the proposed signage would “advertise general products or services”, would be “animated and moving” and would also be a “changeable message sign”. !