Refusal decisions · 7–13 Sep 2026

1. The site of the proposed development is located in a Rural Area where housing is restricted in accordance with the policies and objectives set out in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2005, and the Meath County Development Plan 2021- 2027. It is the objective of the Planning Authority (RUR DEV SP 2) 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 Panning Authority has also had regard to the following policy in assessment of this application; RD POL 5 To facilitate the housing requirements of the rural community as identified while directing urban generated housing to areas zoned for new housing development in towns and villages in the area of the development plan. It is considered, based on the information submitted with the application, that the applicant has not sufficiently demonstrated a rural housing need for a dwelling at this location and the proposed development, if permitted, would militate against the preservation of the rural environment and the efficient provision of public services and infrastructure. It is considered therefore that the proposed development would be contrary to the aforementioned Ministerial Guidelines and Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development in the area.
2. Having regard to the pattern of development in this area which is accessed from the N2 to the east, it is considered that the development, if permitted, would contribute towards suburbanisation and degradation of the rural area, whilst creating potential for ribbon development by creation of a gap site to the west, and would therefore be contrary to Policy RD POL 3 of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 which states that it is the policy of the Council “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 centres.” The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that adequate sightlines can be achieved at the proposed entrance. In the absence of unobstructed sightlines of 90 metres to the nearside edge of the road, measured from a setback of 2.4 metres in accordance with TII document DN-GEO-03060, and in the absence of an entrance layout demonstrated to be in accordance with the Meath Rural Design Guide, the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard and obstruction of road users. The development would therefore be contrary to Policy RD POL 38 of the Meath County Development Plan where there is a requirement ‘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 proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 2660916
4. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed surface water disposal method (discharge to a proposed soakaway) is appropriate or adequate having regard to the existing site drainage characteristics and hydrological history of the site. The Planning Authority notes the presence of a former water channel traversing the subject site, and in the absence of any information submitted by the applicant confirming whether this water channel has been piped, diverted, or otherwise dealt with, the proposed development would, therefore, be prejudicial to the environment and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. The subject development is located within a Rural Area (RA) where it is objective of the Meath County Development Plan 20021—2027 ‘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 provision of staff accommodation for employees of a private construction company on lands located within an area designated as a Rural Area (RA) is contrary to the objective of the Development Plan. The associated private construction enterprise is not directly associated with agriculture, forestry, rural-based enterprise or any activity requiring a rural location which enhances, complements, is ancillary to, or remains neutral in relation to the Rural Area zoning objective. As such, the development if permitted would be contrary to the zoning objective for Rural Areas as set out in the Meath County Development Plan and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. In assessment of this application, the Planning Authority has had regard to minimum design standards set out under ‘The Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments (2025), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’. The development for retention, comprising the conversion of an existing dwelling and associated outbuildings to provide multiple residential accommodation units, constitutes an inappropriate and unjustified form of development in a rural area which would be incompatible with the established rural character and function of the area. Moreover, the development if permitted would result in overdevelopment and intensification of an existing dwelling and outbuildings through the provision of an excessive number of individual residential units of sub-standard floor areas, with inadequate provision for private and communal amenity space. As such, the development, if permitted, would constitute a poor and deficient standard of residential amenity for occupants and set a very undesirable precedent for future development in the area.
3. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan (RD POL 44) to ensure that new development meets the highest standards in terms of environmental protection. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the wastewater treatment and disposal system is suitable to serve the staff accommodation development without risk to public health or the environment. The submitted engineering report refers solely to the EPA Code of Practice for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses (P.E. <10) 2021, which is not considered appropriate for a development of this nature and scale. The Planning Authority is not satisfied that the wastewater load arising from the use, or the capacity and suitability of the treatment and disposal system, have been adequately assessed. Accordingly, it has not been demonstrated that the development can be served without risk of pollution to soil and groundwater contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan (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 submit adequate and satisfactory information to enable a full assessment of the traffic, access, 2660905 visibility and parking implications of the proposed development. Insufficient information has been provided in relation to the number and suitability of site accesses, the provision of appropriate sightlines at the site entrance, the management of surface water to prevent discharge onto the public road, and the adequacy of parking and vehicle circulation arrangements having regard to the proposed occupancy levels. Accordingly, the development if permitted, would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. The proposed development is located in an established residential area (A1), the objective of which is “To protect and enhance the amenity and character of existing residential communities”. By virtue of its scale and design, the proposed development is considered to represent an inappropriate form of development, which would be detrimental to the visual and residential amenities of the area, would set an undesirable precedent for other similar development, depreciate the value of property in the vicinity and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The Applicant has failed to demonstrate the full extent and nature of the development in order to justify construction of a building of this scale at this residential location, which would be out of keeping with the established residential nature of the subject site and area. The development, if permitted for retention, would set an undesirable future precedent for developments of this kind and be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. It is a policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 (RD POL 31) to encourage and facilitate the appropriate refurbishment of existing housing stock in rural areas and in certain cases, the replacement of existing dwellings, subject to appropriate development assessment criteria. Further, the Planning Authority shall consider applications for refurbishment and/or replacement of existing housing stock in rural areas where the proposal is of a scale, and where such architectural treatment is sympathetic to the character of the original structure and the surrounding area, including adjoining or nearby development. The proposed change of use of the existing residential unit to stores and loose horse boxes is unacceptable to the Planning Authority. Whilst the structure is not considered to be one that represents significant architectural merit, the applicant has failed to provide a written justification or structural assessment in relation to the sub-standard nature of the building, which is of a scale and form that is characteristic of the surrounding area. As such, the proposal is not considered to be a development which constitutes a replacement dwelling and is therefore subject to the policy provisions of the Rural Development Strategy (RUR DEV SP 2).
2. 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 (RUR DEV SP 2) 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 and on the basis that the development as proposed does not constitute a ‘replacement dwelling’, that the applicant has not established a rural generated housing need for a dwelling in this location. The development would 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.
3. It is the policy of the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 (RD POL 9), “To require all applications for rural houses to comply with the ‘Meath Rural House Design Guide”. The proposed new dwelling, by reason of its bulk, massing and siting, to include the western projection and setback from the road, would be out of keeping and would fail 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 be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

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