Planning bid for over 350 housing units in Tullamore
A planning application for what would be one of Offaly's largest single housing projects is to be made to An Bord Pleanála shortly.
The plan is for a development of 358 housing units on a circa 14.3 hectare site at Clonminch and Gayfield, Clonminch Road, Tullamore
A newly-published planning notice this week indicates that Steinfort Investment Fund Ltd is to apply to An Bord Pleanála for permission for the project.
The project is being purused as part of a new fast-track planning process, which allows planning applications for Strategic Housing Developments to be submitted directly to An Bord Pleanála.
The 14.3 hectares includes lands under the control of Offaly County Council along Clonminch Road.
The overall site concerned is bounded by Clonminch Wood, Limefield, Clonminch Road and a number of dwellings fronting onto Clonminch Road to the west and to the south and by open fields to the east and north.
It will consist of 358 dwellings including detached, semi-detached, terraced/townhouse, terraced/duplex and apartments.
Also proposed is a two-storey building to include four ground floor units for uses such as shops, cafes and restaurants.
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and a medical centre at first floor along with a standalone creche in a two-storey building with potential capacity for 100 children.
Public open space of some 15,389 square metres is planned, including green landscaped and hard surfaced civic spaces and is in addition to some 1,521 square metres of communal space.
Car parking of 666 spaces is planned.
Vehicular access is to be provided from the Clonmnich Road via a new signal controlled junction and will provide for future potential vehicular and pedestrian connections from the proposed development to Clonminch Wood.
A decision must be made on any Strategic Housing Development 16 weeks after it is lodged, with An Bord Pleanála.
There is no power to defer the decision in this process or seek further information bar the board takes the rare decision that an oral hearing is necessary.
There is an opportunity for public submissions within a five-week period once the full application has been lodged.
According to the public notice, the application can also be inspected online on the following website set up by the applicant: www.clonminchshd.ie or in person at the offices of An Bord Pleanála and Offaly County Council.
An Bord Pleanála may grant permission for the strategic housing development as proposed, or may grant permission subject to modifications or in part only, with or without any other modifications, or may refuse to grant permission, the planning notice also explained.
In November last, Steinfort Investment Fund Ltd, as part of the SHD process, consulted with An Bord Pleanála, as part of a formal pre-application consultation phase.
In February An Bord Pleanála ruled that "further consideration/amendment" was needed by the backers of a plan for what was then proposed as 344 housing units in Tullamore.