Planners approve new homes despite locals’ flooding concerns

Planners have given the green light for the construction of seven single-storey houses on a site in Kiltullagh, despite concerns from neighbours about flooding.

Stan Lawless had sought permission to develop seven detached houses on the 4.9-acre site at Clogharevaun, which is located to the east of the L3114 local road.

Two neigbouring homeowners objected on the grounds of potential flooding. One wrote that in December 2015, all four roads out of Kiltullagh were completely impassable, and in their small pocket of dwellings, residents were housebound until water levels receded.

“The flood also submerged the road where the proposed estate road would be. The floods of 2015 covered my drive, submerged my garden, and only by a couple of feet missed my house. The construction of dwellings on the proposed site would only compound this problem due to less drainage,” the objection reads.

Another neighbour pointed out that the village floods most winters, mainly due to a ten-hectare turlough and the River Dunkellin and its floodplains adjacent to the development site.

However, planners approved the application, although they stipulated that no surface water run-off generated by the development can be discharged onto the public road or adjoining property, and that all surface water be collected and disposed of within the site through adequately-sized soakaways.

A Flood Risk Assessment prepared for the site found any risk would be of fluvial flooding from River Clogharevaun, with a 0.01% chance.

Council planners noted: “A Flood Risk Assessment submitted demonstrates that the site is not liable to flooding. Furthermore, all surface water run-off has been collected and disposed on site. No surface water arising from this development would be permitted to discharge onto the public road or adjoining property.

“In relation to wastewater, it has been demonstrated that the proposed development complies with [Environmental Protection Agency] standards and high-level treatment is being proposed,” planners said.

A previous application on the site last year for eight houses and an estate road was rejected on the grounds that it could pose a public health risk because of a proposed communal wastewater treatment system.