Refusal decisions · 31 Aug–6 Sep 2026

It is considered that the proposed change of house design, by virtue of its siting on an exposed and sloping site, in addition to its length and massing, would be out of character with the existing house types and pattern of development in this well-established residential area. The proposal would constitute a disorderly form of development which would impact negatively on the residential amenity of the adjacent properties and that would be out of character with the pattern of development in the area. The proposed design fails to comply therefore with Sections 2.3.2 and 3.2 of the Meath Rural Design Guide. Accordingly, to grant the proposed development would seriously injure the residential amenity of the area and depreciate the value of adjacent properties in the vicinity, would set an undesirable precedent for similar future developments in the area, would interfere with the character of the area, would detract from the visual amenity of the area and therefore, would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development in the area.

1. Insufficient evidence has been provided to the Planning Authority to demonstrate that the proposed development meets the specific requirements of the Meath County Development 2021–2027 and associated policy - RD POL 38 - “To ensure that all development accessing off the county’s road network is at a location and carried out in a manner which would not endanger public safety by way of a traffic hazard”. The Applicant has failed to demonstrate that the location and design of the entrance can facilitate safe access and egress from the site. The Applicant has not demonstrated unobstructed sightlines of 90 metres to the nearside edge of the road, in accordance with TII document DN-GEO-03060, from the entrance, based on the sightlines submitted as part of this application. The proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users or otherwise, and would, therefore, 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 - RD POL 9 - to require that all applications for rural houses comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide’. The design of the proposed dwelling, by virtue of its excessive height, overly dominant form and inappropriate window fenestration at this location, within an elevated position, is not considered to adhere to the Meath Rural Design Guide. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is the policy of the Meath County Council Development Plan 2021-2027 (as varied) To implement the “Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Guidelines for Planning Authorities” (DoEHLG/OPW, 2009) through the use of the sequential approach and application of Justification Tests for Development Management and Development Plans, during the period of this Plan (INF POL 18) and to require that a Flood Risk Assessment is carried out for any development proposal, where flood risk may be an issue in accordance with the “Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Guidelines for Planning Authorities” (DoECLG/OPW, 2009). This assessment shall be appropriate to the scale and nature of risk to and from the potential development and shall consider the impact of climate change (INF POL 20). The subject site is located in a ‘defended area’. As per the OPW guidelines, flood defences should be ignored as part of an assessment. The applicant has submitted a technical note as part of the further information response and referenced the OPW Mornington Tidal Flood extents flood mapping to determine critical flood levels. The planning authority are currently carrying out a Flood Risk Assessment on the Mornington/Bettystown area with updated hydrology been used for the hydraulic modelling. As a result of the updated hydrology been used, the critical flood levels would appear to have increased at the location of the subject site. From the latest revision of the ongoing FRA, a critical flood level of 3.35m was used for the 1% MRFS. This would put the subject site entirely in Flood Zone A. As the subject site would require infilling to keep the proposed residential units FFL’s above the critical flood levels, compensatory storage would be required as the required infilling would displace floodwaters and increase flood risk elsewhere, therefore not satisfying the Justification Test. The applicant has no available space to provide the required compensatory storage at acceptable levels. The proposed development, if permitted, would be contrary to the aforementioned Ministerial Guidelines and would materially contravene policies INF POL 18 and INF POL 20 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 (as varied).
2. It is an objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, “To ensure an Appropriate Assessment in accordance with Article 6(3) and Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive (92/43EEC) and in accordance with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland – Guidance for Planning Authorities, 2009 and relevant EPA and European Commission guidance documents, is carried out in respect of any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site(s), either individually or in-combination with other plans or projects, in view of the site’s conservation objectives” (HER OBJ 33). The applicant has not provided the Planning Authority with sufficient information to conclude that the proposed development (entire project), by itself or in combination with other plans and developments in the vicinity, would not be likely to have a significant effect on European Site(s): Boyne Estuary SPA Site code: (004080); Boyne Coast and Estuary SAC Site code: (001957); North-West Irish Sea (004236); River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC Site code: (002299) and River Boyne and Blackwater SPA Site code: (004232). The proposed development, if permitted, would be contrary to the aforementioned objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 for the conservation and preservation of a European Site(s).
3. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, “To co-operate with the EPA and other authorities in the continued implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.” (INF POL 14) and it is an objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, “To strive to achieve ‘good status’ in all water bodies in compliance with the Water Framework Directive and to cooperate with the implementation of the National River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021”. 2560911 Based on information submitted, the Planning Authority cannot rule out that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact of the Boyne Estuary (IE_EA_010_0100) either directly, indirectly or cumulatively and would fail in the obligation to achieve good ecological status in all waterbodies. The proposed development, if permitted, would be prejudicial to public health and would be contrary to an objective of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027. 2560911

1. The proposed development is located within a rural area designated as Low Development Pressure, where Applicants are required to (i) comply with the Local Needs Qualifying Criteria set out in Section 9.4 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021–2027 and (ii) demonstrate a genuine rural housing need. Based on the information submitted, the Planning Authority considers that the Applicant has not demonstrated a bona fide rural housing need for a dwelling at this location. The Applicant’s circumstances indicate an urban‑generated housing need for a dwelling at this location, given their current residence within the Ballivor settlement. and insufficient justification has been provided to demonstrate that the applicants housing need cannot be met within the existing settlement. As such, the proposed development would be contrary to RD POL 6 and the rural housing policies and local needs qualifying criteria as set out in the Meath County Development Plan 2021–2027 and the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities. The development would therefore constitute an unjustified form of residential development in the rural area, would set an undesirable precedent for similar development, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. Based on the information submitted, in particular the absence of robust documentary evidence relating to the necessity for the proposed stables/machinery store and the actual use of same, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated a bona fide agricultural need or planning justification for the structure. The Planning Authority is not satisfied, on the basis of the particulars submitted, that the development relates to a genuine agricultural development proposal or that it is functionally required in connection with an established agricultural activity on the landholding. Accordingly, the development would not accord with RD POL 10, RD POL 11, RD POL 12, RD POL 14 or DM OBJ 62 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021–2027. The development, if permitted, would therefore constitute an unjustified form of development in the rural area, would establish an undesirable precedent for similar development, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is considered that the development by virtue of its dual agricultural and commercial usage on site that is located in an area zoned RA ‘Rural Area’ in the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, 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.’ Commercial use is not listed as a permitted or an 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, would set an undesirable precedent for other similar type future developments, and would not be in the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The subject site is located within the Central Lowlands Landscape Character Area as identified in the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, which is categorised as having a High Landscape Value and Moderate Landscape Sensitivity. It is an objective of the Planning Authority under Policy HER POL 52 “To protect and enhance the quality, character, and distinctiveness of the landscapes of the County in accordance with national policy and guidelines and the recommendations of the Meath Landscape Character Assessment (2007) in Appendix 5, to ensure that new development meets high standards of siting and design.” The existing commercial activity on site, which comprises the storage of haulage vehicles would introduce visually intrusive commercial activity into a rural landscape setting. Having regard to the scale, nature and visibility of the development, it is considered that the development would adversely affect the rural character and visual amenities of the area and would detract from the landscape character of the Central Lowlands Landscape Character Area. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to Policy HER POL 52 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, would devalue property in the vicinity of the site and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated that the local road network can safely accommodate the traffic generated by the existing dual usage on site. The Traffic Impact Assessment submitted fails to account for traffic associated with the existing commercial activities on the site and does not assess the cumulative impact of the combined agricultural and commercial uses. As the volume and nature of vehicular movements to and from the site is unknown, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the existing and proposed development would not prejudice the safety and convenience of road users or adversely affect the carrying capacity of the local road network. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.