Major housing plans for Greystones

Sean Mulryan of Ballymore Properties is pushing hard for a major scheme of 1,500 apartments and houses at Greystones in County Wicklow, pointing out the availability of DART and other services.

Mr Mulryan was due to meet members of Greystone's Town Commission this week to make a presentation on his proposals for what may be the largest residential planning application to come before Wicklow County Council.

The development centres around a 108-acre site at Charlesland, adjacent to the former Burnaby Estate in Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Under the 1999 Wicklow County Development Plan much of the Charlesland lands owned by prominent local farmers, the Evans family, were rezoned for housing and some industrial uses. However, the neighbouring Burnaby estate lands are also zoned for industrial uses and are now back in the hands of the IDA after the American microchip manufacturer AMD failed to develop the lands. Ballymore has already built the Woodlands scheme on the site of the former Woodlands Hotel which also borders Charlesland.

The current application for 1,466 dwellings includes two creches, a community centre and a new dual-carriageway which would also serve industrial zoned lands adjacent to the site.

While the density is high and most members of the county council are opposed to the development, Mr Mulryan is expected to stress the fact that the land is zoned for housing and has excellent access to the DART station.

The proposed development also includes a number of factors which are objectives of Wicklow County Council, notably a Greystones southern relief road. The new road would provide access from the site to the R761, Greystones to Kilcoole Road as well as to Millbrook in Killincarrig.

The site also lies within the area defined by the Strategic Planning Guidelines as the Greater Dublin Metropolitan Area and Mr Mulryan may be tempted to quote from the councillors themselves in relation to their concerns about the current housing crisis.

According to a site notice, the planning application covers 687 two-storey homes including 476 two-bedroom houses, 211 three-bedroom houses and 62 four-bedroom houses.