Plan for a 25-unit housing project refused

Plans for a new 25-unit housing development off the Charleville Road in Tullamore by local developer Tom ‘Texas' McNamara have been refused planning permission.

The application by The McNamara's Band Partnership for the project at Charleville Road, Ballard, Tullamore sought approval for the demolition of two existing bungalows and domestic garages and the construction of 25 residential dwellings.

Offaly County Council this week refused permission citing two reasons.

It said the proposed development is located on land zoned 'Strategic Residential Reserve' in the Offaly County Development Plan (2021-2027). The proposed development, being residential use, would materially contravene the zoning objective for strategic residential reserve zoned lands which provide for lands that may be suitable for development at some time in the future but are not considered for development purposes during the current plan period.

It also said the application did not comply with the settlement strategy for Offaly and would be a material contravention of the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-27 in that provided greater growth for Tullamore than assigned in the plan's core strategy.