Virginia houses blocked
Plans to complete an existing housing development in Virginia have been halted after An Coimisiún Pleanála overturned a decision to grant permission for four new homes.
S Gaffney & Son Ltd had sought to construct four detached two-storey houses on a 0.2663-hectare infill site within the established Dunancory Demesne, connecting the homes to existing estate roads and public services. The site, bordered by the Ballyjamesduff Road to the north and Deerpark Road to the east, sits within an already built-up residential area.
Initially, Cavan County Council had signalled its approval, attaching a suite of conditions including a requirement that no homes be occupied until the new Virginia Wastewater Treatment Plant is built.
A third-party appeal was lodged by Sheelin & McCabe Planning Services Ltd, which raised alarm over potential flooding risks, wastewater capacity and environmental compliance with regards to the Virginia WWTP, currently under construction and which ultimately discharges into the Blackwater River, a tributary of Lough Ramor.
Although upgrade works to the treatment plant commenced in mid-2024 and are expected to continue until late 2026, the Board said it was not satisfied that the additional housing could be safely accommodated in advance of those improvements being fully delivered.
Crucially, no Natura Impact Statement accompanied the application. Without that detailed assessment, the Board concluded it could not rule out potential adverse effects on the integrity of the River Boyne and River Blackwater Special Area of Conservation and the River Boyne and River Blackwater Special Protection Area.
Flood risk was another factor considered. While the proposed site is located within an area categorised as low flood probability, parts of the wider estate lie within designated flood zones. The board therefore determined that the application failed to convincingly demonstrate how surface water run-off would be managed so as not to worsen conditions for existing residents.
The refusal marks a significant setback for a development first granted permission in the early 2000s.