AN BORD Pleanala has rejected a controversial plan to build 294 houses on the edge of Delgany village in Co Wicklow. It refused permission on the grounds that it would be "premature" to have such large scale development in an areas where the road network was "unsuitable" to carry increased traffic.
The board said that, because of the "sub standard nature", of the road serving the site, "it is considered that the traffic likely to be generated by the development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard".
The scheme, submitted by Avmark Ltd, a company controlled by house builder Mr Frank Woods, was sanctioned by the Wicklow County Manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, despite the receipt of some 600 objections. It was one of the most controversial planning applications to come before the council. A two day oral hearing on the plan took place last June.
Local residents mounted a year long campaign against the plan. They stressed that, while they were not against development, this should be on a smaller scale. They argued that the nature and scale of the scheme would be incompatible with the nucleus settlements of Delgany and Killincarrig, and warned that the essential character of Delgany would be overwhelmed by the proposed development.
Mr Walter Pfciffer, co-chairman of the action group, said the local reaction to the board's decision was "ecstatic". The general feeling was that there should have been consultation with the local people before giving permission for such a huge development. If that had been done "something could have been worked out".
"The days are over when large scale development in small towns can be put in over the heads of people without consultation without a democratic decision being taken. We said from the start that the scheme should not be allowed to go ahead without a proper road system in place.
"The place is too small for such a large development. We expect development to take place and we are not against it. We are prepared to talk to any developer who wants to talk to us and put forward reasonable proposals.
We are full of praise for Bord Pleanala for appreciating our position.
There was nobody available to comment for the developer yesterday. It is not known if a new plan will be submitted or if there will be consultation with residents.
The county's senior planning executive, Mr Des O'Brien, told the oral hearing that the council did not consider the site was part of Delgany or would have an impact on the village. It did not view Delgany as a separate entity, but rather as part of a conurbation comprising Delgany, Greystones, Blacklion and Killincarrig.
The council regarded the road from Killincarrig to Delgany as an urban road. He agreed that it was "undoubtedly hazardous" and would have to be widened regardless of the proposed development. However, he felt the road had extra capacity as things stood.
He said the council considered the Woods company to be terribly good builders". He "deeply resented" the way in which the council had been portrayed after granting planning permission for the scheme.
One of the local objectors to the scheme is Mr Eamon de Buitlear, the ecologist and filmmaker, who said the proposed housing scheme would permanently change the peaceful character of Delgany.
Paul Griffin and Company, consultants, said Delgany was similar in character to the villages of Howth, Malahide, Kinsale and Dalkey. It required an action plan for its development and preservation, rat her than "prairie planning, ignorant of local tradition, patched together into one vast conurbation of Delgany and Greystones".