Major housing scheme in Mayo refused permission

A proposed 86-house development in Ballina has been refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála following an appeal by a local residents' committee.

Mayo County Council had granted permission to Thawside Ltd for the construction of 86 houses and a creche with all associated works at Friarscourt, Laghtadawannagh on the Killala Road in the north Mayo town. 

The developer had originally wanted to construct 92 houses but amended its plans during the planning process.

Friarscourt Residents' Association appealed this decision to An Bord Pleanála, having made an earlier submission during the planning process expressing members' concerns over the proposed development.

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

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

The local authority granted planning permission only for it to be overturned by An Bord Pleanála. Thawside Ltd had been previously granted planning permission by Mayo County Council for 47 houses in the vicinity of this proposed development but this too was overturned by An Bord Pleanála in August 2024 following an appeal by the Friarscourt Residents' Association.

Thawside Ltd has now made a new planning application to Mayo County Council for the Friarscourt site. Its application, which is at the pre-validation stage, is for 47 new houses, consisting of 32 three-bed semi-detached units, six two-bed semi-detached homes and nine four-bed detached units, with all ancillary site works and connections to public services. A decision on this latest application is likely to be made in the coming months.