Nursing home site refused in Kildare

An Bord Pleanála has refused an appeal against a decision by Kildare County Council earlier this year to deny planning permission for a 60-bedroom nursing home in the county.
The 1.75ha site for the proposed development is located at Balyna, Broadford, Co Kildare, west of Johnstown Bridge and Ennfield, and is currently in use as pasture.

Patrick Byrne had wanted to build the single-storey 2,621.87sqm facility, together with some 80 car parking spaces to the front. The development would have been serviced by private well and wastewater treatment unit.
The local planning authority decided to refuse permission on seven grounds, including the fact that the area was deemed to be primarily agricultural; that the location was in material contravention of the policy to facilitate such care facilities in locations close to public transport and relevant community and social services; and that it was contrary to the Kildare County Development Plan 2005-2011, which ensures the protection of the physical, environmental, natural and heritage resources of the county.
In its ruling late last month (October 23), An Bord Pleanála considered that to permit the proposed development would ‘contravene the policies and objectives of the planning authority’ to channel commercial development and community facilities into existing settlement centres, would ‘seriously injure’ the amenities of this rural area, would militate against the achievement of the proper planning and sustainable development of urban towns and villages where development of this nature would be more appropriately located, and would set an ‘undesirable precedent’ for similar developments in the rural countryside.
The Bord was also not satisfied that an adequate water supply for daily use would be available or that wastewater disposal would be adequate.