Developer gets permission to build 28 new homes in Limerick

PLANS FOR 28 new homes on the edge of Kilmallock have been given conditional planning permission by Limerick City and County Council.

Loquatlane has been given the go-ahead to build the homes at Glenfield on the edge of the town, near Kilmallock National School.

One of the conditions imposed by council planners is that the homes can only be sold to individual purchasers once they are completed.

The local authority said this would rule out their purchase by corporate entities.

Those eligible for social or cost-rental housing are also permitted to occupy the houses.

The condition is being imposed, the local authority said, “to restrict new housing development to use by persons of a particular class or description in order to ensure an adequate choice and supply of housing, including affordable housing in the common good.”

Council has said that if after two years, its planners are satisfied a sale or lease cannot be made under these conditions, it may lift this requirement.

It will come as a welcome boost to first-time buyers, many of whom have found themselves locked out of buying new homes after agencies or companies have bought units en bloc, without these coming to the public market.

Under the plans submitted by Loquatlane, there will be 12 semi-detached units in six blocks and 16 terraced units in four blocks.

On top of this, associated works will take place to enable the construction of the homes on what is currently green space.

There were a number of objections from people to the plans, mainly residents living in the nearby area.

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One person cautioned that the “excessive traffic” the new houses could bring “would greatly risk the safety of the families and children that reside here.”

Concern was also expressed over the safety of the high number of children who are dropped off and picked up from the local crèche.

“The access is unsafe to children, parents and grandparents which use this. The crèche location in the Bellview estate means that all traffic coming into the area to the proposed new site needs to pass this location. Posing a particular health and safety risk to this cohort of people, as well as the residents, wider community and children that avail of this facility,” they added.

An alternative entrance to the new estate was called for.

Another individual who objected wrote: “Water pressure in the area is very poor. What is the proposed plan to ensure further development will not have an additional drain on supply and pressure?”

The privacy concerns of residents in the existing Bellview estate was also raised, with calls for lower density homes.

All objectors now have the option of appealing against Limerick City and County Council’s decision, to An Bord Pleanala.

By the same token, the developer can appeal against one or more of the 25 conditions imposed by the local authority.

It remains to be seen if either of these things happen.

As well as the stipulations on who can buy the properties, council has also directed that the developer pay €57,848 for local infrastructure.

They also ruled the development must be carried out on a phased basis, to be agreed by the planning authority.

A spokesperson for Loquatlane had not returned a request from the Limerick Leader f0r comment by the time of going to press.