Refusal decisions · 24–30 Aug 2026

The Planning Authority consider that the proposed development, if permitted, would generate increased traffic on to the National Road N63. Therefore, to permit the proposed development would materially contravene Policy Objective NR4 and DM Standards 28 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028, would lead to traffic conflicts and overlapping splays with junction LP-3204 and vulnerable road user safety and would not be in accordance with the TII guidelines and policies for development along national roads. 2

1. The proposed development would be served by an entrance onto the R347 Regional Road at a location characterised by horizontal curvature, restricted visibility and existing traffic management measures including continuous centre line road markings and chevron signage. Based on the information submitted, and in the absence of satisfactory evidence demonstrating that adequate sightlines can be achieved and maintained in accordance with DM Standard 28 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that a safe means of vehicular access has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the submitted site layout plan indicates visibility of approximately 93m to the west from the proposed entrance and includes a diagonal 120m sightline extending in a south- westerly direction across lands opposite the application site and beyond the application site boundary. It has not been demonstrated that all lands required to facilitate and maintain the proposed visibility arrangements are within the control of the applicant or subject to a formal agreement with the relevant landowner(s). Accordingly, the proposed development would interfere with the safe and free flow of traffic and would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to Policy Objective NNR2 and DM Standard 28 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and 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 wastewater treatment system complies with the requirements of the EPA Code of Practice for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (Population Equivalent ≤10), 2021. The submitted Site Characterisation Form records bedrock at a depth of 1.0m below ground level and the Planning Authority is unable to reconcile the minimum depth of unsaturated soil/subsoil required beneath the point of infiltration with the levels indicated on the submitted site-specific section. Accordingly, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the safe disposal of domestic effluent can be achieved on site without risk to groundwater. To grant permission in these circumstances would be prejudicial to public health, contrary to the EPA Code of Practice for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (Population Equivalent ≤10), 2021, contrary to Policy Objective WW6 and DM Standard 38 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

1. Having regard to the following: - the proposed development being sited within an undeveloped greenfield setting, - the lack of any evidence of an established farm enterprise accompanying the application content, the Planning Authority consider the proposed development in the absence of a comprehensive agricultural justification for the works to be contrary to the provisions of Policy Objective AD 1 Sustainable Agriculture Practices of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and therefore to permit same in light of this significant lacunae would create an undesirable precedent for similar future developments in the area and be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The Planning Authority, by virtue of the lacunae associated with the proposed development in respect to the management of potential animal waste generated on site and having regard to the precautionary principle, is not satisfied based on the information received that significant negative effect on the natural environment and the integrity of the Natura network can be ruled out. Therefore the development if permitted has potential to have significant negative adverse impact on the rural landscape and the localised ecology and habitats thereof, would contravene materially objectives AD 4 & NHB 1 and development management standards 14 & 50 contained in the current Galway County Development Plan, and therefore would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. Advice Notice: The application was lodged (8th July 2026) within 6 months of the previous application on site under file reference no. 2660098 (21st January 2026) and therefore the Site Notice furnished with the current application should have been yellow in colour. 2

1. The Planning Authority are not satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated compliance with Policy Objective RH2 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 to develop their first home in a rural area in an area which is under strong urban pressure within the Galway County Transport & Planning Study (GCTPS). Therefore, the proposed development is considered contrary to the rural housing provisions of the said county development plan. Accordingly, to grant the proposed development would contravene materially Policy Objective RH2 contained in the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028, would be contrary to the provisions of Ministerial Guidelines issued to the planning authorities under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and to “Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities” issued by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (updated in December 2020), would set an undesirable precedent for similar future development in the area, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area
2. The subject site is located within an identified flood risk area and having regard to the nature of the proposed development, the Planning Authority is not satisfied in the absence of a site specific flood risk assessment that the subject site is not at risk of flooding in the future. Therefore, if permitted as proposed, the development would materially contravene Policy Objective FL8 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and would be contrary to Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).
3. In the absence of any details submitted on file in relation to the water supply to serve the proposed development, it is considered that the development if permitted as proposed, would be contrary to DM Standard 37 of the Galway County Development Plan, 2022-2028, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that they can provide and maintain the required sightlines from the entrance to the site along the public road. Therefore, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the required sightlines can be achieved at this location and to grant the development as proposed would be contrary to DM Standard 28 and would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users or otherwise and thus would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

The Planning Authority have serious concerns owing to the proposed restricted development access point in conjunction with onsite and external parking constraints and uncertainty regarding overflow of parking. Furthermore, the creation of a vehicular access point as proposed via an undefined junction with restricted visibility, whilst traversing Bride Street footpath would not be conducive in the creation of desired quality and safety of vulnerable road users’ permeability movements whereby there is a high degree of pedestrian demand in conjunction with safer routes to school movements. Therefore, it is considered proposed vehicular entrance is a haphazard arrangement that has the potential to create vehicular and pedestrian conflicts which would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users or otherwise and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

Having regard to the planning history of the site, the Planning Authority notes that Planning Reference 992288 for which the development was granted, included provision for a specific site access arrangement. The existing vehicular entrance serving the site has been developed at alternative location which does not have the benefit of planning permission. The proposed development would rely upon and increase the use of this unauthorised access arrangement, thereby resulting in the intensification of unauthorised development. In the absence of any regularisation of this existing entrance on site as part of this application, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development would not constitute a traffic hazard and therefore if permitted would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

1. Having regard to the nature of the proposed residential development in conjunction with its location on lands zoned for Open Space/Recreation & Amenity purposes in the in the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposal is compatible with Open Space/Recreational Amenity uses, and would contravene materially the land use zoning matrix contained in the current County Development Plan which seeks to facilitate the development of appropriate, compatible uses within the Open Space/Recreational Amenity zoned areas. Accordingly, to grant the proposed development would contravene material provisions of the current Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and therefore, would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. Having regard to the subject site location within a Flood Zone C, adjacent to the flood plain of the Owenriff River, and the absence of a Site-Specific Flood Risk Assessment for the proposed development at this sensitive location, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the subject site is not at risk of flooding in the future. Therefore, if permitted as proposed, the development would materially contravene Policy Objectives FL 1, FL 2 and FL 18 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 in relation to flood risk and would also be contrary to Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Planning & Development Act, 2000 (as amended) (The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines 2009) and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The proposed removal of the existing stone wall and mature hedgerow and lack of regard for biodiversity with the landscape design proposal at this sensitive site is not in accordance with DM Standard 47: Field Patterns, Stone Walls, Trees and Hedgerows and therefore contravenes policy objectives in the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028 and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

1. The planning authority is not satisfied based on the information received and the lack of justification accompanying the application content that the proposed development would be in accordance with the provisions of Policy Objective AD1 Sustainable Agricultural Practices of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028. The development would therefore if permitted, materially contravene Policy Objective AD 1 and DM Standard 13 of the County Development Plan 2022-2028, would create a precedent for similar future developments in the area, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The development on site as hereby proposed to be retained and further intensified is considered to have potential to constitute a hazardous arrangement to road users owing to the poor horizontal alignment of the heavily trafficked local primary carriageway (L 2212-83) in the vicinity of the site frontage where sightlines are severely restricted in both directions and the cumbersome vehicular movements associated with a development of this nature would compromise road safety and therefore be contrary to DM Standard 28 of the Galway County Development Plan 2022 – 2028 and to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2

This proposal is seeking a ‘Change of house design’, to Pl. Ref. No. 24/60042, which is a permission ‘Consequent to an Outline permission’, where the original outlined permission is Pl. Ref. No. 23/60086. This proposal includes an increase in the size of this site, as such, this proposal would contravene materially the parent outline permission, Pl. Ref. No. 23/60086.