Refusal decisions · 24–30 Aug 2026

1. The proposed development would give rise to an excessive density of development in a rural area lacking certain public services and community facilitates and would establish an undesirable precedent for further development of this type. In addition, the proposed development would be contrary to the policies and objectives of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which seeks to provide more sustainable formats of development within the rural area, through supporting the vitality of lower order centres and existing local community facilities including policies /objectives RD POL 4, RUR DEV SO 5, CS OBJ 1 and RD OBJ 1. The development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. Having regard to the nature of the development of a dwelling in a Strong Rural Area at a location where there has been a significant amount of development of one-off rural dwellings, the Planning Authority, in assessing such applications, is required to have regard to the following policy provisions of Section 9.5.1 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027: The Planning Authority will also take into account the following matters in assessing individual proposals for one-off rural housing…. a. Local circumstances such as the degree to which the surrounding area has been developed and is trending towards becoming overdeveloped; b. The degree of existing development on the original landholding from which the site is taken including the extent to which previously permitted rural housing has been retained in family occupancy. Where there is a history of individual residential development on the landholding through the speculative sale of sites, permission may be refused; It is considered that the proposed development, if permitted, would result in the immediate rural area becoming further overdeveloped and would represent an unacceptable quantum of development taking place on the original landholding. Therefore, it is considered that the proposed development would materially contravene the above criteria of the Meath County Development Plan, would depreciate the value of the adjoining properties, would set an undesirable precedent for future development in the area and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is considered that the proposed development by virtue of its nature as a light industrial use proposed to be located in the rural area which is zoned RA ‘Rural Area’ in the Meath County Development Plan, would materially contravene 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.’ Light Industry is not listed as a permitted use nor a use open for consideration under the RA Zoning Objective. The proposed development would therefore materially contravene a zoning objective outlined 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.
2. The subject site is partially located within the Blackwater Valley Landscape Character Area as defined under the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which is categorised as being of Very High Value and having a High Sensitivity to development. It is a policy of the Development Plan to “integrate in the development management process the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and landscape features wherever possible, by minimising adverse impacts on existing habitats (whether designated or not) and by including mitigation and/or compensation measures, as appropriate”. The proposed construction of an additional ‘light industrial’ building on the subject site, located in a rural area, has the potential to negatively impact upon the landscape character of the Blackwater Valley (HER POL 28).

Having regard to the pattern of development in the area and the scale of development proposed, it is considered that the proposed extension, by reason of its scale, bulk and proximity to site boundaries, would seriously injure the residential amenities of adjoining properties and would be contrary to DM OBJ 50 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021 -2027 by reason of visual obtrusion and overbearance. The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. The subject site is located on lands zoned ‘RA’ Rural Area under the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027, the objective of which is “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”. The site is also located within a ‘Rural Area Under Strong Urban Influence’ as defined in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DoEHLG, 2005). National Policy Objective 19 of the National Planning Framework supports the provision of single houses in such areas only where a demonstrable economic or social need to live in a rural area has been established. Having regard to the information submitted, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has adequately demonstrated a genuine economic or social need to reside at this location. In this regard, it is noted that an application is currently pending with Land Registry in respect of the transfer of the existing family home to the applicant. Furthermore, the applicant's parents retain ownership of two additional residential properties, together with a family flat conversion, all of which are located within the rural area. The applicant has not satisfactorily demonstrated why these existing housing options are unavailable or unsuitable to meet their accommodation needs Accordingly, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development comes within the scope of the rural housing need criteria set out in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities, the National Planning Framework, and the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027. In the absence of a demonstrated rural-generated housing need, the proposed development would represent an inappropriate and unsustainable form of development in the countryside, would undermine the objectives of the Meath Rural Settlement Strategy, and would contribute to an uncoordinated pattern of rural development. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to National Policy Objective 19 of the National Planning Framework, the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities, the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and 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”. The proposed development by reason of its size, scale and massing is considered would be out of keeping with the site context and fails to integrate with the 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 materially contravene 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.
3. The application site is identified as being located, either in whole or in part, within Flood Zones A and B, which are areas at high and moderate risk of fluvial flooding. The applicant has failed to satisfactorily demonstrate, by way of an appropriate Site-Specific Flood Risk Assessment and, where required, the application of the Justification Test, that the proposed development would not be at risk of flooding or would not increase flood risk elsewhere. Furthermore, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that a safe means of access to the proposed dwelling can be achieved, having regard to the flood risk affecting the site and its access arrangements. The Planning Authority also considers that the proposal is contrary to Policy INF POL 20 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which seeks to ensure that developments are appropriately assessed having regard to the nature and scale of flood risk and the potential impacts of climate change. In the absence of sufficient information to demonstrate compliance with these requirements, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development constitutes an appropriate form of development at this location. Accordingly, the proposed development would be contrary to the provisions of The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009), Policy INF POL 20 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed site access has been designed to provide adequate sightlines and safe vehicular ingress and egress. Having regard to the layout and positioning of the proposed 2660828 entrance piers, walls and gates, the applicant has failed to satisfactorily demonstrate that the required visibility splays can be achieved and maintained in the interests of road safety. In the absence of sufficient information demonstrating that the proposed entrance arrangement can provide safe access to and from the public road, the Planning Authority considers that the development would give rise to a traffic hazard and endanger public safety. Accordingly, the proposed development would be contrary to the road safety provisions of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2660828