Massive Celtic Tiger scale estate approved in Laois means new roundabout near Portlaoise hospital

Nearly 200 new homes are in the pip[elane for Portlaoise along the town's Dublin Road after Laois County Council's green light for a massive new housing estate that will also require a new roundabout.  

Marina Quarter Ltd has been granted conditional permission to demolish four existing buildings and construct 195 homes, a creche with 68 places, 320 parking spaces and two ESB kiosks at Ballyroan, Portlaoise. 

The development, which was approved subject to 26 conditions, will require a new access road which in turn will need a new roundabout and pedestrian crossing on the Dublin Road between the existing Block Road roundabout and Collier’s Lane roundabout. 

Pictured above: An image of the proposed site.

It would also see the removal of some trees and the new access road would effectively split the Rathgailine Estate in two. 

The planned 195 residential units are a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses. Some of the houses are semi-detached and some are terraced. The plans also include a number of one-bedroomed apartments.

In total there are 20 one-bed apartments, 71 two-bed houses, 96 three-bed houses and eight four-bedroomed houses in the plan. 

The plans allow for between 10 and 20 percent of the housing units to be available as affordable housing. 

The estate would be located two kilometres to the east of Portlaoise town centre off the Dublin Road on a 5.72 hectare site.  

A total of 15 submissions were made in relation to the new development. They included concerns from residents in Hawthorn Drive, who felt the new estate would impact their privacy and reduce the amount of light in their estate and the Rathagailine estate, who expressed concerns about the road dividing their area. Many of the submissions didn’t object in principle to the development but wished to highlight their concerns over aspects of the plans. 

Chairman, Rathgailine Residents Association.  Michael McGrath wrote to the council on behalf of the residents.  

He noted the estate would be split in two and requested the connection between Rathgailine and Broomville be closed to ensure a “rat run” is not created and to prevent an increase in traffic in the estate from Broomville to Fieldbrook.

Secretary on behalf of Hawthorn Drive Residents Association, Vanessa Keane, also wrote to the council on behalf of residents. She expressed concern about the high density of the development. 

“The high density of the proposed development is not in keeping with local estates such as Hawthorn Drive, Fieldbrook, Grenville, Carrick Hill and Dunmasc. Would set an unwanted

precedence for future development in the area,” she stated. 

She expressed concern about road safety and traffic congestion onto the Dublin Road R445. 

The council granted the development subject to 26 conditions which include the allocation of electric charges for 10% of the parking spaces, an archaeological assessment of the area, the undergrounding of electrical cables and the inclusion of measures In the interest of vehicular, pedestrian, cyclist and traffic safety. 

The planning permission was lodged in September and approved on November 1. 

It’s one of a number of major housing developments being planned to meet the demand for housing in Portlaoise.

Another developer, Bircrest Ltd, is seeking permission for two large developments at two sites in Summerhill, Portlaoise. 

They have applied to Laois County Council for permission for 57 houses, a two-storey neighbourhood centre, a creche and active travel infrastructure at Summerhill. 

At a second location in Summerhill, Bircrest Ltd are also seeking to build a further 45 properties. 

This application was for 45 houses consisting of a mix of five, four and three bedroom properties. 

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Laois County Council has requested further information in relation to both of the planning applications.