Fresh application for major Carcur housing plan consisting of 413 units
An Bord Pleanála is considering a fresh application from a Wexford developer for a major residential development of 413 units on a 34-acre site at Carcur, on the outskirts of town, overlooking the Slaney Estuary.
The housing project by William Neville and Sons, was turned down by the board in July 2019, due to concerns over the risk of surface water flooding.
Another application is now being made under Strategic Housing Development(SHD) provisions, with the plan featuring a proposal for a revised surface water drainage system.
A pre-application meeting is expected to take place soon between the developer, Wexford County Council and An Bord Pleanála, and a decision will then follow on whether the construction company will be given the green light to proceed to application stage.
The application is for 175 houses and 238 apartments in four seven-storey blocks, together with two creche facilities, a retail unit and 769 car parking spaces, on the former Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) site.
An Bord Pleanála’s decision to turn down the earlier application, was largely based on concerns about flooding, with parts of the 34-acre development site situated in a floodrisk zone.
The board ruled that insufficient information was provided in the Environmental Impact Assessment to show that measures to drain surface water, would adequately minimise flood risk to people and properties in the proposed development, or to show that the residual flood risk could be managed to an acceptable level.
The planning department of Wexford County Council had raised concerns in relation to the unacceptability of the proposed method of surface water reduction.
In making its ruling at the time, the board stated: ‘It is considered that the information contained in the EIA Report does not fully idenify and describe the extensive infill works and groundworks that are proposed in order to deal with the issue of flood risk ..... and accordingly, it is considered that the board cannot be satisfied that the proposed development would not have significant adverse effects on the environment.’
An Taisce objected on the grounds that the plan didn’t contain sufficient measures to ensure that there is no impact on the adjoining Natura 2000 sites (Slaney River Valley and Wexford Harbour and Slobs) in the estuary, with noise and disturbance from construction having the potential to affect the habitats of wildlife. The Carcur project was one of the first applications from the Wexford electoral area to come before An Bord Pleanála under the new Strategic Housing Developments planning legislation, designed to fast track housing schemes of more than 100 units.