REVEALED: The eye-opening reasons 270 homes have been blocked in Offaly in past two years

The construction of over 270 houses and apartments were refused planning permission in Offaly since 2023, despite the ongoing call for more homes to be built across the county and country as the housing crisis continues to burden many people trying desperately to make it onto the property ladder.

There were a number of medium and large residential developments proposed to Offaly County Council within this two-year period. However, many were refused planning permission by the council and some faced fierce opposition from those living in the proposed areas of development.

Four planning applications for the construction of homes and apartments across Offaly particularly stand out from this time in terms of the impact they could have had on the housing need in the county.

These include a proposal for a residential development consisting of 14 houses and apartments in Tullamore in May 2023, another mixed development totalling 48 houses and apartments in Edenderry in July 2023, a large scale residential and commercial development which would have seen the construction of 204 apartments in Tullamore in February 2024, and the construction of three townhouses and the rebuilding of another in Birr in July of this year.

It's also worth mentioning that applications for the construction of single unit homes or the conversion of garages etc. for residential purposes have not been included here.

Three out of the four applications for these residential developments faced objections predominantly from those living in the areas where the developments were proposed for. This is despite the nationwide call for more homes to be built to tackle the never-ending housing crisis.

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Of course, many had valid concerns regarding some of the applications such as the structural impact on directly adjacent properties. The construction of three townhouses and the rebuilding of another in Birr was objected to on this basis in July.

One issue which was raised among the many objections to the developments, and one that is not unique to Offaly, was the potential of these developments damaging the 'character of the area'. It may seem like a vague reason to some, but it did factor into the final decision process for the council regarding some of the developments. Interestingly, when compared to other counties, this issue of projects not fitting with the character of their areas is less predominant in Offaly than in Kilkenny or Limerick, for example.

That being said, the large development proposed for Tullamore in 2024 which would have included a major 204 apartments as well as restaurants, retail, and childcare facilities was met with an objection surrounding its potential impact on the historic character of the town. 

Offaly County Council cited multiple reasons for its refusal and subsequent refused appeal such as traffic concerns, inadequate parking facilities, health and safety reasons due to insufficient information regarding access for fire services, as well as the density of the project being contrary to the Sustainable Urban Housing Design Standards for New Apartments and the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities.

In addition to this, the council stated that the "excessive scale, height and mass" of the development would "appear visually incongruous on the skyline." Furthermore, they added that it "would seriously injure the historic character and visual amenities of Tullamore Town."

It's important to point out that this application was actually supported by many in the local community. Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce and some local businesses wrote to the council to demonstrate their support for the development as it would improve footfall in the town.

Another major development of 48 homes and apartments in Edenderry was rejected by the council in 2023 with similar reasons listed. Unlike the previous application, this proposal received no objections. Among the reasons for its refusal, Offaly County Council said that its design layout plans were "substandard" and that they "failed to establish a strong sense of identity or a sense of place within its setting."

This particular application was also refused on the basis of not being compliant with the Settlement Strategy for County Offaly and the fact that the site it was proposed for was not in a residential zoning area. 

There were, of course, other factors which influenced objections in Offaly during this period. The development proposed in 2023 for Church Street in Tullamore which would have seen the construction and refurbishment of 14 houses and apartments was opposed by locals in the area for a number of reasons.

Primarily, neighbouring residents considered the plans as an "overdevelopment of a small area." They also raised the issue that the height of the three-block development would be in excess of surrounding buildings and they were concerned that their privacy would be encroached upon. 

As the development was located beside the Tullamore River, environmental issues were also mentioned within the objections. Ultimately, Offaly County Council refused the proposal due to its location at the river. In the letter from the council, they stated that the application was contrary to the Offaly County Council Development Plan regarding the riparian zone at the adjoining Tullamore River.

A common thread among all of these developments which could have helped alleviate the housing shortage in Offaly, was that each one in someway contravened the local development or strategy plans of Offaly County Council.