Kildare Cllr expresses concerns after An Bord Pleanála grants permission for 251 residential units in Celbridge

Kildare Councillor Brendan Young has expressed concern after An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for 251 residential units in Celbridge.

It is understood that the 251 residential units are planned for the area between Oldtown Rd and Shackleton Rd in Celbridge.

Cllr Young has said that he is concerned that 'planning has been rushed and has been rushed through and that issues raised by people with local knowledge are not adequately addressed.

Commenting on the decision, Cllr Young said: “In granting Planning Permission, An Bord Pleanála and KCC Chief Exec have gone against the views of local Councillors and the Transportation Section of the Council. Despite the fact that the Roads Department of the Council recommended refusal and that Section 4.4 of the current Celbridge Local Area Plan has not been implemented – a Transport Management Plan to be prepared within a year of the approval of the LAP [by end of 2018] – the KCC Planning Dept. / Chief Exec. recommended that planning permission be granted (p.18, ABP Inspectors Report).”

He said: "This is unacceptable. There's already a huge problem with traffic. We need more buses, especially for commuters. The NTA said Bus Connects would improve the public transport. We won't know until the summer what's in the second round of Bus Connects proposals: will there be enough new buses to significantly reduce car volumes on Shackleton Rd?”

The ABP Inspectors Report said:

“[The developments] ... impact on traffic levels in the area would be marginal and would not be likely to have significant effects on air quality.”

If the development goes ahead, Cllr Young said that 'no more development should be permitted until a Local Transport Plan is ready to be implemented.'

Cllr Young has also raised the issue of flood risk in the area.

“There are a number of other issues as well as traffic and public transport, including road safety at the junction; community and social facilities; sewerage and stormwater. It is unacceptable that national regulations, which determine Bord Pleanála decisions, appear not to require transport plans or community facilities for children and young people to be integrated into private construction of this scale. As to flood risk, the new estate is beside the Toni river and flooding has previously happened on the Shackleton Rd and Church Rd," said Cllr Young.