Wexford developer William Neville and Sons has been refused permission for a large residential scheme in Saggart, Co Dublin, because part of the development is to be located on lands earmarked for a primary school.
An accompanying planning application by the developer seeking to build a larger 16-classroom school in a new location has also been refused by planners at South Dublin City Council.
To date 325 units have been built at Neville's Millrace scheme in Saggart. The developer has a landholding of 19 hectares in the west Dublin village.
Plans for 144 housing units in phase two are still being considered by planners. Now the council has refused permission for phase three comprising 196 apartments and houses.
The need for at least an eight-classroom school in Saggart has been identified as the existing national school is at capacity and occupies a site with no scope for expansion.
As a result, a site of one hectare was identified and reserved for a school in the Saggart action area plan lands.
As part of phase three, the developer has submitted proposals looking to construct residential units on the land reserved for a school and build a larger school on a site outside of the action area plan lands.
While the plan does state that the reserved site may be developed for housing if a suitable site for a primary school is provided elsewhere in Saggart, the council says the plan is premature and has been done "without any agreement with the planning authority" to relocate the school, it said.
The council expressed concern about the new school site, including the issue of traffic through the housing estate, the construction of an access road over public open space and the proximity to a protected structure.
In refusing the housing scheme, the council also pointed to the "seriously deficient" quality of open space in the scheme.
The council also criticised the housing style mix at the scheme, saying that 30 per cent should be semi-detached or detached houses with gardens, compared to the 8 per cent semi-detached units provided.
The grounds of Millrace encompass the ruin of Swiftbrook Mill, formerly the residence of the family of Dean Jonathan Swift.
