Wicklow County Council grants permission for 107-home scheme at The former ‘Veha’ factory, Co. Wicklow

In context

It is one of 107 housing scheme applications Wicklow 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 18 June 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

Development comprises of: 1. Demolition of all existing buildings on the site 2. Construction of a mixed use development comprising of the following uses: (a) A 116 no. bedroom hotel of circa 5,214 sq.m gross with a height of five storeys plus rooftop plant, and including ancillary hotel facilities including bar, restaurant and business centre. (b) 107 no. residential units in a mix of houses (28 no.), townhouses (60 no.) and duplexes (19 no.) with a total residential floorspace of 12,492 sq.m gross. The overall residential mix is: 12 no. one beds, 5 no. 2 beds, 78 no. 3 beds and 12 no. four beds. There will be 16 no. three bed and 12 no four bed houses, 60 no. three bed townhouses, and 12 no. one beds, 5 no. two beds, and 2 no. three bed apartment duplexes. House Type 1, Townhouse Type 1, Townhouse Type 2, and Duplex Type 2 are three storeys in height. House Type 2 and Duplex Type 1 are two storeys in height. (c) The provision of own door offices of circa 223 sq.m and a shop/café of circa 160 sq.m in a single block of 2 storeys in height (d) A creche of circa 454 sq.m in a two storey building. 3. A total of 216 no. surface car parking spaces (including visitor, accessible and EV charging spaces), comprising of: 6 no. spaces for the creche, 3 no. spaces for the shop/café, 3 no. spaces for the own door offices, 66 no. spaces for the hotel, and 138 no. spaces for residential. 4. A total of 72 no. bicycle parking comprising of: (a) 28 no. spaces for the duplex units; (b) 28 no. spaces visitor/public in sheltered bicycle storage; (c) 6 no. spaces for the hotel. (d) 4 no. spaces for the office use (e) 2 no. spaces for the shop/café (f) 4 no. spaces for the creche 5. Open space comprising of: (a) 4,200 sq.m public open space including pocket parks and playgrounds; (b) 598 sqm of communal open space to serve the duplex units. 6. 2 no. new vehicular access The Murrough Road, 1 no. for the hotel and 1 no. for the residential units. 7. Infrastructure works to serve the proposed development to include the internal road network, ESB substations/switchrooms, PV panels, green roofs, lighting, site drainage works including pumping station, hard and soft landscaping, boundary treatment, and all ancillary site services and development works above and below ground. A Natura Impact Statement is submitted to the Planning Authority with this application