This article is from page 14 of the 2006-09-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A CLARE architect has told An Bord Pleanala that a proposed housing development in Kilnaboy will provide the area with a badly needed increase of population.
Michael Leahy said in his appeal on behalf of developers David Henry and Eamon Cahill, that the 19 houses they want to build will give people the opportunity to live immediately adjacent to Kilnaboy’s church and school.
Clare County Council refused planning permission for the development on a number of grounds, including inadequate water supply, potential impact on groundwater, design and traffic.
But the appeal states that, “The provision of housing will underpin this community and secure its survival into the future. The development is being done in a way which is attractive, which will ensure the integration of the housing into the village and which will form a landmark development for small housing schemes being located within small village communities for the future.
“Kilnaboy has always had a very strong sense of community and dating back to medieval times, the crossroads at Kilnaboy was of significance.
“It is essential that the sense of community of such villages be reinforced.
“The public are entitled to expect that the village of Kilnaboy will be allowed to develop in accordance with proper planning.
“Mr Cahill and Mr Henry are both from the local area and would like to become involved in this development proposal which would strengthen the character of the village of Kilnaboy.
“However, instead of facilitating development in accordance with the provisions of a democratically voted upon Development Plan, the planning officials seem to be going out of their way to seek reasons for prohibiting development which is zoned for residential development.
On refusing permission due to the design of the homes, Mr Leahy says: “It is quite an astonishing reason for refusal, suggesting as it does that the proposal would by virtue of its design, fail to integrate and respect the existing character of the surrounding area.
“It has been the intention of this office right from the beginning, in consultation with the council, to devise a scheme which would create a small village square facing directly towards the school and the church. Mr Leahy said the reasons for refusal also represented a failure in implementation of coherent policy as expressed through the Development Plan.