Major social housing development planned for Bailieborough

Ancient Lime tree will be retained to showcase importance of biodiversity in developments

Plans to drastically increase Cavan’s social housing provision have been announced by Cavan County Council.

The local authority is planning 45 new homes, in a mix of types, for a site on the outskirts of Bailieborough.

The development, earmarked for a site at Beckscourt on the Kingscourt Road, is a mix of apartments and houses.

Reports note an almost 200 year old lime tree on the site, described as “an outstanding example” for Ireland, will be retained in the estate.

The bulk, 22 homes, will be made up of two-bed semi-detached houses.

Six three-bed semi-detached houses, two four-bed semi-d’s and one five-bed detached home are also included.

Four one-bed apartments and six two-bed bungalows are also planned in the Part 8 development.

A public play area, car parking and service road are included in the published plans, along with a wastewater treatment plant.

A screening report, compiled for the Council by consultants Jennings O’Donovan and Partners Limited, notes the Bailieborough wastewater treatment plant is over capacity, with a new plant planned by Irish Water only at design stage. It says on-site treatment would be needed “until such time as the Bailieborough WWTP has completed its upgrade works”.

This plant would be decommissioned once the town’s main plant has been upgraded.

A derelict home on the site will be demolished to make way for the sizable development.

Plans were published last Thursday, with the closing date for submissions listed as September 30.

The consultant's report also notes the mature lime tree on the site, which they simply note is over a century in age, while a separate report estimates between 175-200 years.

“There is a mature lime tree specimen on the site that is over 100 years old and is a distinctive feature of this site, hence the proposed name of the estate as Páirc na Teile.”

It was noted that ash trees surrounding the planned development site have contracted ash die-back disease and are described as being “in varying stages of a declining state of health”.

No “rare, threatened, or protected species of plants” were identified on site.

An invasive species survey was also carried out on two dates in October 2021 and June 2022. It noted no invasive species on site.

In recommendations, it described the lime tree as “an outstanding example” of between 175 and 200 years old.

“This specimen is a notable record for this species in Ireland and should be preserved and maintained”, the report states.

“Ireland is experiencing a biodiversity crisis and there are high level objectives to halt and ameliorate biodiversity loss.

The planning authority has an opportunity in this proposed development to showcase how development projects can enhance biodiversity, and to showcase best practice in relation to biodiversity and climate change.”

The retention of all hedgerows and treelines was also recommended.

Plans of the site show the lime tree and treeline around the site are to be retained.

The consultants found no record of flooding on the site.