Green light for major 260-unit housing development at Glencar, Letterkenny

Planning permission has been granted for the construction of a major new residential development comprising 260 homes on lands at Glencar in Letterkenny.
Donegal County Council has approved plans by the PJ McDermott Group for the large-scale scheme on an 8.3-hectare (20-acre) sloping site in the Glencar Irish and Glencar Scotch areas, with vehicular access onto the Old Glencar Road at two locations.
The development, north west of Letterkenny town centre, will be delivered as four distinctive neighbourhood zones, each centred around its own open space with play and recreation facilities. In total, the scheme will include 140 two-bedroom apartments and 20 one-bedroom apartments, along with 60 three-bedroom houses, 26 two-bedroom houses and 14 four-bedroom houses.

The plans, which were lodged in August 2025 and approved in December, also provide for a purpose-built crèche, a local retail/commercial unit and a multi-use games area.
The crèche will be a single-storey pavilion of approximately 536 square metres, with capacity for up to 121 children and a letter of support from the Donegal County Childcare Committee is included in the planning file. The retail premises will provide 800 square metres of floorspace, comprising one larger convenience unit and two smaller ancillary units, located close to the main entrance to the estate.
The site is located close to the proposed Northern Network Project – a new and upgraded road at Windyhall - and, as a result, planners have applied a special development contribution of €4,500 per unit, amounting to almost €1.2 million. This is in addition to the standard development contribution of €2,025 per unit, bringing the overall development charges to approximately €1.7 million.
At the request of Uisce Éireann, the development will be constructed in phases due to existing water and wastewater network capacity constraints.
The developer and the utility have agreed a five-phase delivery programme, with between 32 and 64 homes per phase, running from December 2026 to October 2031. Essential infrastructure, including apartment blocks, roads, the crèche and the retail unit, will be delivered in the early phase of the scheme.
No archaeological material was uncovered during initial surveys and trial trenching, however, a condition of the permission requires that all groundworks be monitored by a qualified archaeologist.

Read more: Letterkenny speed ramps need better visibility

Three written submissions objecting to the development were received by the council. These were made by Jim Kelly on behalf of the Old Glencar Road, Solomon’s Grove and Upper Fernhill Residents Associations; by Brian and Eileen McDaid of Old Glencar Road; and by James and Brid Harley of Glencar Irish.
Among the issues raised were concerns about the scale of the 260-home development, which objectors said would be visually intrusive in a mature residential area and result in a loss of residential amenity. The phased nature of the project and the ten-year duration of the permission were also criticised, with residents arguing that it would subject households - some living in the area for more than 35 years - to prolonged disruption from construction traffic, noise, dust and dirt. Concerns were also expressed about noise and light pollution, existing water supply problems and heavy traffic levels on the Glencar/Circular Road.
In their assessment, planners noted and addressed the concerns raised.
Developer PJ McDermott and his design team had engaged in a pre-planning consultation with Donegal County Council officials, including planners Frank Sweeney and Sean O’Neill, as well as roads staff, at a meeting held in Lifford in January 2025, and provided further information on a number of occasions throughout the year.
A planning recommendation issued in September was satisfied with the proposed density and mix of housing. The planners’ report stated that the master plan and design statement confirmed a fully mixed-typology estate, incorporating conventional two- to four-bedroom houses, bungalows, own-door duplex units and three- and four-storey apartment blocks, alongside the crèche and local centre unit on the main spine road.
Planners found that the size of the homes, along with private gardens, terraces and balconies, met or exceeded minimum standards, while communal open space complied with the requirements of the county development plan.
Traffic assessments concluded that additional traffic generated by the development, including trips associated with the crèche and shop, could be accommodated on the local road network without material operational harm.

Read more: Objections lodged against Letterkenny apartments

Further information was sought by the council in September and subsequently submitted by the applicant. Following review, a second planners’ report was issued in December, granting permission subject to 39 conditions.
Among those conditions are requirements that surface and stormwater drainage details be agreed; that the estate be delivered in the phased manner agreed with Uisce Éireann; that key infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, cycleways, open spaces, play areas, the crèche and retail unit be completed before the first residents move in; restrictions on construction hours; and that the dwellings not be used as holiday homes. The permission also restricts sales to individual purchasers or for social and affordable housing purposes, including cost rental, and prohibits sale to corporate entities.
A project website, www.glencarlrd.ie, has been established by the applicant, where planning documentation is available for public viewing.