DEVELOPMENTS IN RATHDRUM

GO-AHEAD FOR HOMES AND PLANS LODGED FOR LIBRARY

MAJOR developments are to take place in Rathdrum with the granting of permission for a new housing development and the lodgement of permission to develop a new public library for the town.

Tom and Pat Redmond have been granted planning permission for the construction of 36 new houses on a site near The Woods Housing estate. The permission for the eight four-bedroom detached homes, 16 four-bedroom semi-detached homes, ten three-bedroom semi-detached and two three-bedroom bungalows was granted by Wicklow County Council on June 15.

The permission includes associated site development works and services, including the relocating of the existing foul sewer on the lands with access to the new development from The Woodlands Housing estate.

Meanwhile, Pintarus Ltd has submitted a planning application to change the use of the first floor of Block 1 at Back Lane in the town from a pharmacy to a public library.

The pharmacy on the ground floor will be retained at the unit which is adjacent to Market Square. A decision by Wicklow County Council on this application is due on August 2.

Only last year, a plan was adopted by Wicklow County Council to provide new libraries in Rathdrum, Aughrim and Bray along with a replacement Mobile Library van. Currently, the library service in Wicklow has 30,000 registered users who borrow almost half a million items each year.

In Wicklow town, the Council and County Wicklow Library Service are currently in the process of agreeing to purchase the former Ulster Bank Building which may house the new library while it is envisioned that Aughrim library will see development on its current site while Bray Library on Eglinton Road was refurbished late lastyear.