Meath County Council grants permission for 702-home scheme at Baltrasna and Milltown, Ashbourne, Co. Meath

In context

It is one of 104 housing scheme applications Meath County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 1,638 nationally. Of the 3,067 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 78% 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 1 November 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

*STRATEGIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, SUBMISSIONS DIRECTLY TO AN BORD PLEANALA*, on an overall site of c. 20.04 hectares, located in the townlands of Baltrasna and Milltown, Ashbourne, County Meath. The application site is located to the west / south-west of Dublin Road (R135), south-west of Cherry Lane, west of the existing dwellings at The Briars and Cherry Court, south of the existing dwellings at Alderbrook Heath, Alderbrook Downs & Alderbrook Rise, east / south-east of the existing dwellings at Tara Close & Tara Place, and north-west and south-west of Hickey’s Lane. The development will consist of the following: (1) Demolition of all existing structures on site, comprising 3 no. single storey dwellings and their associated outbuildings (total demolition area: c.659m²). (2) Construction of 702 no. residential dwellings comprised of: 420 no. 2 & 3 storey 2, 3, 4, & 5 bed detached, semi-detached & terraced houses, 38 no. 2 & 3 bed duplex units in 19 no. 3 storey buildings, and 244 no. 1, 2, & 3 bed apartments in 20 no. buildings ranging in height from 3 to 6 storeys. (3) The development also includes for the following non-residential uses: (i) 2 no. childcare facilities located in Blocks A and A1 (c. 289m² & c.384m² respectively), (ii) 4 no. retail units comprised of: 2 no. units in Block A (c.106m² & c.174m² respectively), 1 no. unit in Block A1 (c.191m²), & 1 no. unit in Block B1 (c.469m²), and (iii) 1 no. GP practice / medical use unit located in Block A1 (c.186m²). (4) The development provides for a basement level car park located under Block A1 (c. 4,095m2) and, 2 no. undercroft car parks located at the ground floor level of Block A (c. 466m2) and Block B1 (c. 1,466m2). (5) The development provides for an area of c.1 hectare reserved for a future school site and playing pitch at the western boundary of the site. (6) Vehicular access to the development will be via 2 no. access points as follows: (i) from Cherry Lane, located off Dublin Road (R135), in the north-east of the site and, (ii) from Hickey’s Lane, located off Dublin Road (R135), to the east of the site. The development includes for road upgrades / improvement works to both Cherry Lane and Hickey’s Lane and their junctions with Dublin Road (R135). A new east-west access road through the development site extending from Cherry Lane to the western boundary of the site and all associated site development works is proposed.