Green light given for further housing in Clare village

ANOTHER major housing development is on the cards for Crusheen, one of Clare’s most rapidly-expanding villages. 

Conditional permission has been granted to Woodhaven Developments for 42 new homes on a site close of 1.78 hectares, close to the village centre. The green light was given after County Planners satisfied themselves that Crusheen has the right level of service and social infrastructure to support another rise in its population. 

Plans were lodged last December for 32 three-bedroom homes; six two-bedroom homes; and four four-bedroom homes, on a site zoned for mixed use. The developer said the estate represented the next phase of a masterplan for lands close to the village centre.

In a detailed design statement, Woodhaven outlined plans to begin construction on the homes immediately after the completion of the nearby Cluain Fia estate “and the granting of an acceptable planning permission”.

The company estimated that completion of the estate would take 36 months and represent an investment of €10.3 million, and the creation of 42 jobs. Discussions on the provision of social housing have taken place with the Housing Section of the council and Woodhaven’s application stated that: “social housing will be delivered in line with current legislation”. 

While Woodhaven said their plan is in line with the target of boosting Crusheen’s population, planners warned that appropriate services might not be in place to serve additional housing.

In a detailed Further Information (FI) request, planners said that when three housing developments already granted permission are considered, the current application could “constitute an intensity of residential development unsuited to a ‘large village’ which may not presently have the range of community, educational or commercial services to support such development”. 

Planners asked Woodhaven to address these concerns “and demonstrate that the social infrastructure of [the] village of Crusheen has the capacity to absorb additional residential development of the scale currently proposed’.

In May, detailed responses to the Councils’ queries were submitted by Woodhaven, and considered in the following weeks.

Planners said that, in light of the FI response, which outlined the services available in the village, they were “satisfied that there are sufficient existing and permitted services within the village to support the additional residential development currently proposed”.

Responses to other queries were judged to be acceptable, and planners noted correspondence from ESB Networks, “indicating they will work with the developer to ensure electrical safety on the site”. Planning permission was granted, subject to 23 conditions. 

Once built, the homes may only be sold to individual purchasers, “i.e. those not being a corporate entity, and/or by those eligible for the occupation of social and/or affordable housing, including cost rental housing”. 

During construction, the developer must retain the services of a qualified archaeologist in order to ensure the continued preservation of any features of archaeological interest. A condition on the development of open, public space has also been imposed; as well as conditions regarding landscaping, boundaries, planting, signage, street-lighting and building finishes. A development contribution of €233,058 has been levied, as well as a bond of €210,000. 

It is not know, at this point, if any aspect of the project will be appealed to An Bord Pleanála.