Massive Laois housing development in pipeline for Portlaoise

Plans have been drawn up to build a massive residential development in Portlaoise.  

Marina Quarter Ltd are seeking permission to demolish four existing buildings and construct 195 homes, a creche with 68 places and two ESB kiosks at on a site in the town along the Dublin Road 

The planned houses 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-bedroom houses in the plan. 

The estate would be located two kilometres to the east of Portlaoise town centre off the Dublin Road on a 5.72 hectare site. The estate would require a new roundabout on the Dublin Road to connect to the existing road at the Rath Gailine estate    

A plan lodged with Laois County Council seeks to “develop the following Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) comprising of the demolition and site clearance of a disused farmyard, the construction of 195 no. residential units, 1 no. creche, 2 no. ESB kiosks and all associated site development works including footpaths, cycle paths, parking, fencing, drainage, bicycle and bin stores and landscaping/amenity areas at Dublin Road, Ballyroan (townland), Portlaoise, Co. Laois.”

“Access to the proposed development will be provided via a new access road that will connect a new roundabout at the Dublin Road (R445) to the existing road at the Rath Gailine Estate. The site clearance works consist of the demolition of 4 no. existing buildings, one of which includes a dwelling unit, and the site clearance of a ruinous agricultural building,” the developers state in their application to Laois County Council. 

A planning and design statement lodged with the council details what the developers have in mind at the site. 

“The site is located 2km east from the town centre of Portlaoise, Co. Laois and the area surrounding the site is characterised by a mix of commercial, residential and amenity uses. These include the Dublin Road Garage, Applegreen Petrol Station, Midlands Regional Hospital, a hotel and Downey's Auto Stop CVRT. Adjacent to the site's entrance there is a linear row of houses along the R445 Dublin Road.

The proposed layout has been designed as a sustainable and successful residential neighbourhood within Portlaoise,” the statement notes. 

“This Planning and Design Statement provides an assessment of the approach of the proposed scheme having regard to the relevant planning policy documents at national and local levels, including in particular the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (Cities, Towns & Villages), the Urban Design Manual - A Best Practice Guide and the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets at a national level, and the 2021 Laois County Development and 2018 Portlaoise Local Area Plan at a Local Planning Policy level. It is submitted that the proposed LRD development is consistent with each of these documents and will provide a positive and significant contribution to the housing supply at Dublin Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois,” the statement concluded. 

Planning approved for 14 houses in Laois

The plan was lodged with Laois County Council on August 31 but has been deemed an incomplete application by Laois County Council.