Concerned residents lodge appeal against planning for 86 home development in Ballina

Residents of a Ballina estate have made an appeal to An Bord Pleánala over Mayo County Council’s decision to grant planning permission for the construction of 86 houses.

The local authority granted planning permission to Thawside Ltd for the construction of 86 houses in the Friarscourt, Laghtadawannagh area on the Killala Road in the north Mayo town.

Friarscourt Residents Association have appealed this decision, having made an earlier submission during the planning process expressing their concerns over the proposed development.

They had objected on the basis that the new houses would require the use of the existing access road through their estate, the inadequacy of existing road infrastructure and concerns for safety of children at play as the planning did not include walls in front of houses.

There were also concerns over the overall traffic safety arising from the proposed development, traffic congestion at the nearby Culleens school and pyrite issues in the existing Friarscourt houses.

However, the planning office of Mayo County Council considered the development to be in line with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and planning permission was granted for the proposed development.

The original development was to consist of 40 three-bed semi-detached houses, ten two-bed semi-detached houses, 26 four-bed detached houses and 16 three-bed terraced houses, a total of 92 houses. However, this was reduced to 86 units during the planning process.

Thawside had been previously granted planning permission for 47 houses in the vicinity of this proposed development, however, this was overturned by An Bord Pleanála in August 2024 following an appeal by the Friarscourt Residents Association.

A decision on this appeal is due by June 19 next.