Permission for Newcastle timber facility is refused
AN BORD PLEANÁLA has refused permission for a timber products manufacturing facility in Newcastle which was also originally turned down by Wicklow County Council.
Warmridge Limited lodged a planning application with Wicklow County Council on July 31, 2019, seeking permission for a timber products manufacturing facility comprising of a timber products manufacturing workshop including canteen, offices, toilet facilities (567.30sqm), offices/administration building (124.80sqm) and a yard for storage of timber products at Timmore in Newcastle. Permission was also sought for parking facilities, access road, package sewage treatment system including soil polishing filter in accordance with EPA 2009 standards and ancillary site development works/services including landscaping/ planting and boundary treatment.
Warmridge Limited intended to grant Abwood a long lease to use the site, subject to planning permission, to allow them expand their current operations in the area for assembly and storage of timber products.
Wicklow County Council refused permission in September 2019. Outlining its reasons, the council said the proposed development is located in a rural area as per the Wicklow County Development Plan 2016-2022. Part of the plan’s policy is to channel industrial, commercial and employment development into serviced centres and to restrict development in rural areas to developments that comply with specific criteria as set out in objectives for Wicklow’s rural economy.
According to the planning section of Wicklow County Council: ‘It is considered that the proposed manufacturing activity involved does not have a locational need to be situated in this rural area and, therefore, does not comply with the specified criteria. The proposed development would, therefore, contravene materially the strategic development objectives of the development plan for the rural area and would be contrary to Ministerial Guidelines and to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.’
The planning authority also ruled against the development because of the lack of information provided to demonstrate that the applicant had sufficient interest in the lands required to facilitate works for the required sightlines and road widening, and the reliance on keeping hedges trimmed didn’t allow for the provision of permanent sightlines,
It was also ruled that the development wouldn’t comply with the required road standards and would result in a traffic hazard due the traffic movements generated by the proposed development on a substandard road network.
Warmridge Limited appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanála in October of last year.
However, the Board took issue with the size and scale of the proposed timber manufacturing facility and offices taken together with the sales and display area.
According to the Board’s report: ‘It is considered that the proposed development is excessive in scale and is not dependent on local resources. Furthermore, it is considered that the proposed development would seriously injure the rural amenities of the area and would detract to an undue degree from the rural character of the area. The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the objectives of the Wicklow County Development Plan 2016 – 2022, and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.’