45 acre Priorland site on the market for €975,000

The land at Priorland has two access points, one from the adjoining Priorland Gardens housing development as well as from Priorland Road

Dundalk estate agent Brian Carroll of Sherry FitzGerald Carroll is guiding €975,000 for a development site of 18.55 hectares (45.85 acres) around 1.5km from the town centre.

The land at Priorland has two access points, one from the adjoining Priorland Gardens housing development, the other from Priorland Road.

Planning permission was previously granted on a portion of the land for 122 houses, 21 apartments and a crèche.

This planning permission has since lapsed with an application by Kinler Developments Ltd, now operated by receivers Joe Anderson and William Kennedy of Colliers International, to extend it rejected before Christmas.

The lands have a mixed zoning for “residential, civic and community centre” and “community, education and recreation”. The immediate area is predominantly characterised by residential developments.

The plan for the proposed new estate at the site which was refused an extension of planning permission just before Christmas

Planning refused for 143 new homes at Priorland

The plan for the new estate

Plans for 143 new homes at a site in Priorland, off the Dublin Road, have suffered a setback after an application for an extension of the planning permission previously granted in April 2008 was rejected by Dundalk Town Council just before Christmas.

Kinler Developments Ltd, now operated by receivers Joe Anderson and William Kennedy of Colliers International, originally applied for planning permission for the residential development in July 2007.

They were given the go ahead for the project by Dundalk Town Council in April 2008 but it would be just over 12 months later when the project was finally allowed to proceed following an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

Due to the crash in the property market, construction never began but the receivers had planned to keep their options open by making an application to extend the planning.

However, it was turned down a week before Christmas on the basis that the subject site directly adjoins Dundalk Bay SPA and part of the site (along the coastline) is located within Dundalk Bay SAC. The planning department found that “development at this location has potential to impact on the aforementioned 2000 site(s) and as such a Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment and a Natura Impact Statement would be deemed as required.”

They therefore decided to refuse the application due to the lack of appropriate assessments. Kinler Developments still have the option of appealing the decision though and would be expected to do so.

Trading from Stapleton House, Kinler Developments Ltd had planned to construct 122 two storey townhouses, comprising 63 three beds and 59 four bed units. They were also plans for 21 apartments, consisting of 6 one beds, 13 two beds and 2 three beds in a four storey apartment building, which was to encorporate balcony areas with a roof garden, open space areas and 300 car park spaces, 42 of which were to be underground.

The proposed development also comprised a two storey crèche, while they also had permission to raise the ground level of the site by c1.5m.

Access to the site was to be provided via Priorland Gardens, off the Dublin Road.

Seventeen residents in Priorland Gardens had initially objected to the plans but it was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanala in April 2009 subject to a wide range of conditions.