SUBMISSION OF MARY P. FITZGERALD RE PART OF LANDS AT ORCHARDTON, CALLAN ROAD, (orse ARDSCRADUAN), KILKENNY.
DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN(s) FOR KILKENNY CITY & ENVIRONS and/or COUNTY KILKENNY 2014-2020
OBJECTIVES OF SUBMISSION:
1. The re-classification and re-zoning of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny as residential lands from agricultural lands in the forthcoming development plan;
2. The removal of the draft proposal in the forthcoming development plan to classify a portion of my lands at
Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny as a 'green belt' in the absence of any objective agricultural or environmental basis.
RESIDENTIAL ZONING OBJECTIVE:
I refer to my recent meeting regarding the above draft plan and wish to make the following submission pursuant to my application for re-zoning of circa nine acres of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny from an agricultural zoning to a residential zoning with a longer term objective of low-density residential housing.
I attach a map outlining said lands in red for reference purposes.
PRIOR PROPOSALS/DECISIONS:
1. Part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun) Kilkenny have been the subject of on-going zoning discussions with
Kilkenny County Council for over twenty years. I refer in particular to a letter from Kilkenny County Council dated 28th January 1998 addressed to my late husband regarding said lands then intimating that such lands were ripe for re-zoning for residential purposes. I attach a copy of this correspondence for your attention. As you are aware these lands were also more recently identified and classified as part of the lands for future planned neighbourhood expansion under the title of 'planned expansion' in the last Kilkenny City & Environs Development Plan 2008-2014.
EXISTING SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE & JOINT CO-OPERATION:
2 You are undoubtedly also aware that all mains services and infrastructure are now fully in place such as water and sewerage and would be readily accessible for any future residential development on these lands. You will also be aware that the adjoining 4 acres of lands at Archerleas, Kilkenny, is now the subject of Grant of Planning Permission Ref. No. 11/364 (06/256), and was re-zoned from agricultural to residential zoning in a previous development plan. Mutual co-operation in terms of development between myself and the members of Archersleas limited would allow access to part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny. I wish to advise that I have the full co-operation of the members of Archersleas Limited with respect to common issues such as access and services infrastructure affecting development on our respective lands. Residential re-zoning of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road,
(orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny by Kilkenny County Council would permit a development of low density one-off housing of approximately 3 houses per acre, ideally to consist of high quality, A rated dwellinghouses. I have been assured that the members of Archersleas Limited, in the event of the re-zoning to residential of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardsdraaun), Kilkenny, would be willing to reduce the housing density on the adjoining lands of Archersleas to a considerable lesser number of residential units. The re-zoning of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny would in conjunction with the Grant of Planning Permission Ref. No. 11/364 (06/256) on the adjoining lands of Archersleas held by the Archersleas partnership assist in satisfying the existing need for premium sites in Kilkenny in part derived from the current policy of Kilkenny County Council and other local authorities to discourage the construction on one off sites in the countryside.
ADJOINING EXISTING RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS:
3. You will further be aware that a full large-scale development of residential houses has been constructed on adjoining lands in an estate
now known as 'Rose Hill' on the lands of the former 'Maiden Hill' house between the Kells Road and the Ring Road in Kilkenny. In addition it
should be pointed out that there has been huge large scale developments permitted by Kilkenny County Council beyond the perimeter of the Ring Road since the date of its construction as, for example, the headquarters of large commercial entities such as Glanbia, AlB, Bank of Ireland, State street, Danville Business Park, Woodies, Meubles, Springfields housing estate etc.
4. Extensive large scale developments have also been permitted by Kilkenny County Council within the last ten years on adjoining lands at Archerslease, Callan Road, Kilkenny, commonly known as Seville Lodge, without any attached zoning. Developments on the Seville Lodge complex include a variety of entities such as a Garden Centre, a Teacher Training/Educational Centre, a Regional Inspectorate for the Environmental Protection Agency, and a purpose built school for special needs pupils known as 'the Mother of Fair Love' school. Despite the fact that these developments were constructed without any zoning or consultation with myself, I have consistently co-operated and provided my support to Kilkenny County Council despite the challenges that these developments have posed to myself and my property. The nearby Callan Road is also the location for new large scale residential developments known as College Park and Seville Lawns/Margaretsfield.
PRIME RESIDENTIAL LOCATION OF LANDS & PROXIMITY TO ALL AMENITIES:
5. The lands the subject of this submission as you are aware are situate in a prime location vis-a-vis every amenity in Kilkenny City and can serve a future residential development. The lands almost adjoin Hotel Kilkenny and all of its facilities including leisure centre. A large ESSO retail petrol station and retail shop is almost adjacent to the lands at the junction of the Callan Road and the Ring road with a second retail filling station and shop also minutes away on the College Road. The lands are approximately a 5 to 7 minute walk to the heart of Kilkenny City at the Parade and or High Street. They are also within walking distance of all local amenities such as the several shops and indeed the three supermarkets at Loughboy, Kilkenny known as Supervalu, Lidl and AIdi and supporting outlets. There are several primary and secondary schools close-by such as St. Kieran's College Secondary School, St. Patrick's De La Salle, John of God, Gael Scoil, and K.S.P. primary schools and the Presentation Girls Secondary School - all within reasonable walking distance. There are also numerous sporting facilities in the vicinity such as swimming and athletics at the Watershed complex, hurling at James Stephens Oub both in Larchfield and the Kells road, soccer at Tennypark (Buckley Park), Callan Road, the Kells Road and the Fair Green, showjumping at Warrington, tennis at Archersfield etc.
OBJECTION TO DRAFT 'GREEN BELT' PROPOSAL:
6. It has corne to my attention that it is now proposed in the current draft development plan to re-designate a portion of my above lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny as a 'green belt' area as outlined on the attached map.
I wish firstly to point out that there was no prior consultation with myself or anyone on my behalf in any manner regarding this proposal. I wish to object to this proposal in the strongest possible terms and wish to point out that there is no objective justification for this proposal. I call for this proposal to be removed from the final development plan in its entirety. It has been suggested to me that this area of lands contains so-called 'alluvial soils' and that the alleged presence of such soils would support the 'green belt' proposal. However, nothing has been provided to me by way of evidence to support any such claim. It has also been suggested in a recent discussion that this portion of my lands presents a possible, albeit, extremely limited, flooding risk in the future from the river Bregagh which passes in the vicinity of these lands. It is my view that there is no evidence to support any such suggestion as it is a virtual impossibility for this to occur following on the construction of the Ring Road which borders and separates these lands from the river Bregagh. The Ring Road at this point is constructed along by the Bregagh River and for the purpose of construction of the Ring Road in the 1980s the level of the lands on which the Ring Road itself was built was raised above the natural level of these lands and now acts in itself as an impermeable barrier. To the best of my knowledge the Ring Road itself has never in the course of almost 30 years of its existence been flooded at this, or indeed, at any point, as a result of flooding from the Bregagh and my lands have never experienced flooding of any kind in all of these years. In addition, I note that there is no proposal in the draft development plan to designate other lands in the vicinity of the Bregagh as 'green belt' lands and I wish to query the basis upon which my lands were selected for inclusion as a proposed so-called 'green belt' at this time as no such proposal was ever raised in any previous development plan since such plans were originally formulated by Kilkenny's Local Authorities. It is submitted that this draft proposal has no objective agricultural or environmental basis.
SUMMARY:
In summary these lands are exceptional lands in a prime location and are ripe for quality residential development with every conceivable amenity in close proximity. I am not in favour of haphazard or ill-conceived development but am committed to a future quality development in the event of my lands being zoned from agricultural to residential zoning. I would submit that these lands should have priority for consideration at this time given the self-evident numerous advantages which apply to the future use of these lands as a quality residential development. I would reiterate that the over-riding advantage of these lands as a future residential development are undoubtedly their location close to the heart of Kilkenny and their close proximity to virtually every kind of conceivable amenity.
REQUEST:
Based on my above submission I request the following outcome to the plans now being drawn up by Kilkenny Borough Council and/ or Kilkenny County Council in reaching decisions regarding the forthcoming development plan 2014-2020 in respect of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny:
• 1. The re-zoning of part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny from an agricultural zoning to a residential rezoning in the forthcoming development plan(s); and
• 2 The removal of the proposal to designate part of my lands at Orchardton, Callan Road, (orse. Ardscradaun), Kilkenny as a 'green belt'
area in the forthcoming development plan(s).
I look forward to a favourable response to this submission.
First Name:
Mary
Last Name:
FitzGerald
on Thu, 22/08/2013 - 12:00am admin
