Thumbs down for new Offaly housing development
A new housing development planned for Tubber in County Offaly has been refused planning permission by Offaly County Council
The plan in the name of Peter McCormack was for the construction of 8 four bedroom and two three bedroom dwellings and was to have included a community effluent treatment unit and percolation area.
The Board of Management of St. Manchan's National School in Tubber had welcomed the development and also took the opportunity to outline some of its concerns concerns. The Board described the roads around the school at drop off and pick up times and mass times as being ''dangerous and chaotic.
In its submission the Board of Management said that they ''approve of and encourage the construction of houses in Tubber Village including those proposed for the site adjacent to our school.''
The submission went on to say that the school has 169 pupils and 18 staff members.
''Extensions built to the school have reduced our playing area to <3000m². We have 10 staff parking places and 5 public parking spaces at the drop off area. Less than twenty students use the bus to commute and an estimated 20 pupil’s walk to school. During school pick up and drop off times, and at mass times in the church, the roads near the school are dangerous, busy and chaotic.
''We need extra outdoor space for the children to comfortably play and this will become more crucial when there are more houses in Tubber Village. We cannot make use of Tubber GAA pitch as the R420 is too dangerous for children.
''We cannot afford to buy the entire field. We have been in contact with the selling agent and the owner and we remain hopeful that a small portion of the field will be sold to the school. This is the only area around the school that could increase our play area for the children. We would like to reiterate that this is not an objection to the planning application but is merely an explanation of our current situation as the nearest neighbour to the site in question.''
Offaly County Council attached three conditions to the refusal. However, they have not yet published these.