Council seeks further information on 54-home Kilbeggan housing development

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Westmeath County Council has sought further information on plans for a 54-home residential development on the Dublin Road in Kilbeggan.

The planning application was lodged by Eurkon (Kilbeggan) Ltd on Thursday, April 23, for a housing scheme on a 1.84-hectare site on the eastern edge of the town.

The proposed development would comprise 54 residential units, including 46 houses and eight one-bedroom maisonette apartments, together with a wastewater pumping station, car and bicycle parking, public open spaces, landscaping and associated site works. Access to the development would be from the R446 Dublin Road.

The applicant has proposed 10 social and affordable housing units as part of the scheme.

According to planning documents, the site is zoned as a "Consolidation Site" under the Westmeath County Development Plan, where residential development is encouraged.

The lands are currently in agricultural use and are located opposite a school campus and beside a sports club.

However, in a request for further information issued on Wednesday, June 17, planners raised a series of concerns relating to design, layout, housing quality, traffic, environmental matters and infrastructure capacity.

The first issue identified by the council relates to a discrepancy in the application documents. Planners noted that the submitted Architectural Design Statement refers to "a total of 46 residential units, whereas the application description refers to 54 units" and requested clarification along with revised documentation to ensure consistency.

In terms of design and layout, the council said the proposed frontage onto Dublin Road requires improvement. It noted that houses facing the road have their entrances located on side elevations, which "weakens the relationship between the dwellings and the public realm and reduces opportunities for passive surveillance".

The applicant has been asked to revise the design so that principal entrances are incorporated into front elevations.

The planning authority also expressed concern about the proximity of houses to the Dublin Road, stating that "the proposed setback is limited" and suggesting a greater setback to allow for landscaping, privacy and a stronger transition between public and private spaces.

Concerns were raised about the overall layout of the estate, with planners stating that "the internal arrangement is characterised by extensive surface car parking and vehicular circulation, which dominates the scheme and reduces overall residential quality".

Revised proposals are requested to place greater emphasis on pedestrian movement, amenity areas and landscaping.

While the amount of public open space proposed is considered acceptable, the council said its design is weakened by inactive edges and boundary treatments that "reduce natural surveillance from adjoining dwellings" and "undermine the value and usability of these spaces".

A stronger landscape strategy, including additional tree planting, green corridors and softer landscaping, has also been requested.

Questions have also been raised regarding housing quality standards. The planning authority said floor plans do not clearly demonstrate compliance with storage requirements set out in national housing guidelines and requested further details showing how each dwelling provides the required level of storage space.

Uisce Éireann has also requested updated confirmation regarding water and wastewater capacity. The council noted that a previous confirmation of feasibility it provided related to a 50-unit scheme and "may no longer be applicable to the current proposal". Developers have been asked to submit a new pre-connection enquiry and provide confirmation of available infrastructure capacity.

Environmental concerns were also raised regarding the project's Appropriate Assessment Screening Report. The council said the report was "not sufficiently robust and does not adequately address potential hydrological connectivity or all relevant European sites". It noted evidence of a drainage connection from the site to the River Brosna and requested further ecological assessment.