Planning lodged to build 88 houses on busy Portlaoise residential road

One of the last remaining green fields in a developed residential area of Portlaoise is proposed to take 88 more houses.

A planning application has been lodged to Laois County Council for the property development on Collier's Lane, Portlaoise.

Applicant Dargan Woods Devco seeks permission to construct 88 homes, including the removal of a decommissioned wastewater pumping station.

It will include a new uncontrolled pedestrian crossing on Colliers Lane, and will be accessed off the road, which already serves hundreds more houses and two large secondary schools.

The junction of Colliers Lane to the Dublin road is getting a new larger roundabout this year with work starting on March 3.

The applicant says the two storey homes will range from 1 bedroom to 4 bedrooms in size.

Laois County Council is likely to take one fifth of the homes (aprox 17) for social housing under a Part V agreement. 

"This application represents construction on underutilised land zoned new residential within 2km of the town centre (generally bound by: Agricultural land and a residential dwelling to the north; Rath Rua residential development currently under construction to the west; residential dwellings to the south and Colliers Lane to the east)."

It will have four 4-bed detached houses, 38 4-bed semi-detached houses, 22 3-bed semi-detached houses, eight 2-bed midterrace houses, eight 1-bed mid-terrace houses and eight  1-bed apartments. 

"A new cycleway is proposed along the front of the site to improve connectivity, enhance safety for cyclists, and encourage sustainable transport between the development and surrounding areas.

"Public open space is dispersed throughout the site to be visible and accessible to the wider area, providing play areas,
playgrounds and seating that will serve the whole community. Retaining hedgerows and encouraging biodiversity is an
additional principle guiding the proposed scheme.

"The development will consist of different 2-storey high house types to compose various character areas."

Example of the type of houses planned.

Site development works include the provision of a raised table (at the proposed entrance to the site), a new footpath and an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing on Colliers Lane. Access to the proposed development will be provided via a new access on to Colliers Lane.

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The applicant proposes 2 parking spaces per dwelling, directly outside each house.
Parking for the "maisonettes" has been designed will give four spaces per each maisonette block, giving one space per maisonette. There are also 8 visitor parking spaces provided throughout the development.

The application was lodged in late February with a decision due by April 22 if no further information is requested by planners.