Fears that large scale housing plan could see Laois being a ‘guinea pig’

Laois County Council's approval will not be needed for a large housing estate planned in Portlaoise with one councillor claiming the county is a 'guinea pig' for a new fast track planning process that bypasses councils.

The Government’s Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process introduced in 2016 allows for planning applications of housing estates of over 100 houses to be “streamlined” to fast-track them. An Bord Pleanála will make planning decisions instead of local authorities.

In Laois, two such estates are reported to be at the pre-application stage, and one in Portlaoise is causing concern as the approach road would be through the existing Grenville housing estate on the Dublin Road.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald raised the issue at the Portlaoise Municipal District meeting last week.

“I don’t think I have ever witnessed good fast-track planning. We in Laois County Council are well able to deal with planning ourselves. I wouldn’t have 100% faith in An Bord Pleanala. I’ve people calling me from a few estates in Portlaoise,” she said.

She noted that there is no appeals allowed in the process.

“We could be guinea pigs in Laois for these SHDs,” she said.

Cllr Willie Aird is against the process.

“I’m totally opposed. I emailed Eoghan Murphy (Minister for Housing) when this came out. Here in Laois we have a programme of works. This is tampering with a process that is proper and right.

“We can’t find ourselves in a situation where the entire community is opposed and we can’t meet the people who are going to make the decisions, it’s wrong,” he said.

Cllr Aird added that there was previously a proposal for the zoned land which exited onto the Block Road.

“There was no problem with that. Now we are looking at something that is going out through an existing estate, it’s wrong. People in estates now will never know when another 100 or 200 houses will be added,” he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said councils were losing more power.

“I see it as a further erosion of local government. All we get to do is make a final comment when this goes to a live application and the residents the same. I support Grenville residents, when they bought their homes they believed that was it. Now this is looking for vehicular access and there is talk of pedestrian access too. The power is taken from our hands and given to faceless people we will never meet,” she said.

Cllr Noel Touhy predicted “rat runs” of pedestrian walkways between housing estates, calling the idea “ludicrous”.

Cllr Thomasina Connell claimed the scheme is an attempt to circumvent the county development plan.

“It is offensive and horrifying. There is a five week window for the community and us councillors to give submissions but it's silent,” she said.

Laois County Council Director of Services Joe Delaney spoke about the issue to councillors.

He emphasised that there are no formal planning applications made to the process in Laois yet. He said the public can still make submissions as normal during a five week window, but to An Bord Pleanála. He said the applicants get a decision within 16 weeks, there is no mechanism for the planning authority to ask for further information, and no appeal process.

“There is a presentation to councillors if a plan goes to the formal application stage. to summarise the development, and there is an obligation to send a report of your views to An Bord Pleanála to take into account.

“As yet there is no formal application there and we don’t know if there will be. A lot of pre-planning applications don’t go to the formal stage.

“There hasn’t been a lot of applications in Laois. There is a lot of supply here, with applications for less than 100 houses,” he said.