Appeal lodged against granted planning permission for Letterkenny homes

An appeal has been lodged to An Coimisiún Pleanála against Donegal County Council’s decision to grant conditional planning permission for the erection of 12 houses outside of Letterkenny. 

The application, submitted by PRND Ltd, included access to existing public services, including all other associated site development works at Amalfi Court, Lisnennan, Letterkenny.

Each of the 12 proposed dwellings would comprise a floor area of approximately 125sqm, on the site which adjoins to the established residential development of Amalfi Court, which comprises existing two-storey semi-detached dwellings.

Donegal County Council granted planning permission with 24 conditions for the proposal in October. 

An appeal has now been submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála against the development, using concerns of overdevelopment, and “inadequate infrastructure” as reasons for the grounds of appeal. 

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It was argued that the “existing drainage infrastructure within Amalfi Court is inadequate and prone to surface water accumulation and flooding,” and that the “estate roads remain unfinished and lack a final wearing course,” with sections that “already show deterioration.”

Furthermore, it was argued that “Amalfi Court has documented cases of defective concrete blocks (MICA), which have compromised the structural integrity of existing homes” and that “no remediation plan has been included to safeguard the integrity of adjoining properties or public safety.”

There were concerns with Amalfi Court being an “unfinished estate and developer responsibility.”

“The existing Amalfi Court development remains incomplete and has not been taken in charge by Donegal County Council, raising concerns about long-term maintenance of roads, lighting, and drainage system and safety of pedestrians.”

It was considered that the proposals represented an “overdevelopment of a small site” and offered a “lack of housing mix.”

“The proposal represents excessive density for the available land and is inconsistent with the established character, scale, and grain of the surrounding area.

“Concentrating 12 dwellings on a confined site is likely to lead to overcrowding and poor residential amenity.

“On this basis, the scheme fails to integrate with the prevailing pattern of development and should be refused.”

It continued: “The proposed scheme offers no house type mix - all units are uniform two-storey, four-bedroom dwellings. This fails to meet planning objectives promoting a balanced and diverse residential mix suitable for different household needs.”