Castlethorn seeking 415 new homes in Dunshaughlin

Loughglynn granted permission for over 200 new housing units

With Dunshaughlin continuing to expand on the Dublin and Ratoath sides, the Drumree and Dunsany sides of the ‘village’ now look to be the next to see further development, with an application by Castlethorn Construction to build 415 new homes at the Readsland, Roestown and Knocks townlands.

This application relates to lands adjoining Dun Rioga, the recent Castlethorn development, beside the roundabout at ‘Duke’s Corner’, and will see a continuing transformation of Dunshaughlin.

The strategic housing development is known as the Dunshaughlin West Phase II SHD, and is lodged directly with An Bord Pleanala, rather than Meath County Council, due to its size.

The proposed development consists of 415 residential units and a childcare facility in buildings ranging from two to five storeys in height in three distinct areas located across two separate sites. The residential accommodation consists 254 detached, semi-detached, and terraced houses; 55 duplexes in two to three storey buildings; and 106 apartment units in three four to five storey buildings

There will be new vehicular access from the Drumree Road, and from a permitted roundabout on the R125; and provision of enhanced pedestrian and cycle linkages east and north to Phase 1 (Dún Ríoga) and onwards to Dunshaughlin town centre; provision of internal road, footpath and cycle network including a vehicular bridge and two pedestrian/cyclist bridge crossings over the River Skane and dedicated footpath/cyclepath along the Skane River to the western boundary of Dunshaughlin Community College lands to facilitate connection east to College Park and Dunshaughlin Town Park.

A letter on the planning application from the chief executive of Louth Meath Education and Training Board supports this proposal in principle, as does one from the Newell family, who own parts of the lands included in the application. Meath County Council also gives consent for the application, as a part landowner, not as a planning authority.

Ten per cent of the units on the site are to be provided to Meath County Council under Part V regulations, at an estimated cost of €11,556,095 for 42 units.

The site forms part of the applicant’s wider landholding of circa 18.8 hectares extending north and beyond the Drumree Road.

In a material contravention statement, the applicant’s agents say the proposed development of 415 units at the Dunshaughlin SHD site may, in tandem with similar development at other undeveloped land banks, exceed the housing allocation for this settlement as envisaged by the Local Area Plan and Development Plan core strategy.

"This is not however considered to be contrary to strategic planning policy at local, regional and national levels, relevant to the regeneration and development at the application site," they continue.

"We considered that the proposed land use and density is compliant with planning and land use policy and ministerial guidance for this location. Dunshaughlin is strategically located to cater for significant new growth and the proposed development will contribute to supporting a compact urban form providing strong linkages and an extension of the built up area of Dunshaughlin on lands which are zoned for new residential development.”

Castlethorn retained Future Analytics Consulting Ltd to provide a comprehensive socio-economic assessment for Dunshaughlin which looks at population, work force, travel patterns and residential development output and this report is included as part of the application. See www.dunshaughlinwestshd.com

Meanwhile, on the Ratoath road at Grangend, An Bord Pleanala has granted permission, with 30 conditions, for a strategic housing development on almost eight hectares proposed by Tom Hora’s Loughglynn Developments.

The development will consist of the demolition of two derelict houses, and the building of 212 dwellings comprising 113 number two-storey houses; 99 apartments in six three- to four-storey blocks; a creche; a 250-metre section of the Dunshaughlin (East) Main Distributor Road; construction of a new verge, path and cycle lane along the R125 with the road realigned to create a new street; vehicular entrances from the R125, with additional vehicular access from the new distributor road to the east, and also from the existing Grange Park residential development to the south; 362 car parking spaces and 264 secure bike parking spaces; and open spaces including a new civic park. See www.grangeendshd.ie