Kildare age-friendly development refused by council
This photo is for illustrative purposes only
PLANS to develop a cluster of age-friendly community cottages on the outskirts of Robertstown have been refused by Kildare County Council.
Applicant Owen Kenny had sought permission to construct five single-storey detached shared community cottages, restricted to residents aged 55 and over, at Robertstown West, Robertstown.
In refusing permission, Kildare County Council cited five separate reasons, including the site's location on unzoned land immediately outside the village development boundary.
The council said the proposal would undermine the open character of transitional lands surrounding Robertstown and would conflict with policies in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029, which seek to maintain a clear distinction between urban areas and the surrounding countryside.
Planners also found that the application failed to demonstrate compliance with the county's local housing need criteria for rural housing, stating that insufficient information had been provided to justify the development under the relevant planning policies.
The design and layout of the scheme were also criticised, with the council stating that the proposed arrangement provided inadequate passive surveillance of public open spaces, was overly dominated by the access road and included substandard house design.
In addition, the planning authority noted that a site-specific flood risk assessment had not been submitted, despite the site potentially being located within a OPW flood risk area.
A further reason for refusal related to the site's existing vehicular entrance and culverts. The council said it was not satisfied these works constituted exempted development and concluded that granting permission would regularise existing unauthorised development on the land.
