Laois County Council grants permission for 97-home scheme at Bishopswood Road, Portarlington, Co. Laois

In context

It is one of 54 housing scheme applications Laois County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 1,561 nationally. Of the 3,032 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 79% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 11 September 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Laois County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

amend the design and layout of the development permitted under Laois County Council Reg. Ref. 19/432 (as amended by Laois County Council Reg. Ref. 24/46) comprising: A reduction in site area from 4.01 to 3.91 hectares to facilitate an increase to the size of the creche reservation area adjoining the site from 796 sq m to 982 sq m and the exclusion of the creche from the site area; modifications to the internal road layout including the provision of a new internal road to the eastern boundary of the creche site; the relocation and distribution of public open space within the site resulting in the total permitted quantum of 4,522 sq m public open space increasing to 4,657 sq m; the reposition of 13 No. dwellings within the site to accommodate the revised open space arrangement; a change in house types to selected dwellings to be repositioned resulting in an additional 1 No. House Type A, 1 No. House Type A1, and 1 No. House Type D1 and the omission of 1 No. House Type B, 1 No. House Type B1 and 1 No. House Type D. The proposed development also includes amendments to site service arrangements including revisions to attenuation; adjustments to selected footpaths and car parking arrangements; provision of an ESB substation; and all associated site development works above and below ground. The scheme does not alter the number of units (97 No.) permitted at the site and the total quantum of car parking spaces will remain unchanged. The gross floor area of the scheme will change from 10,522 sq m to 10,609 sq m.