At a packed meeting of the Watsons Residents' Association, Fianna Fáil Councillor, Cormac Devlin advised local residents about the different aspects of the two new planning applications which propose to bring vehicular traffic through Watson Road.
On the site involving #19 Watson Road, this is the 4th such application involving these lands since 2007. If residents wish to make an appeal/observation, they can do so by writing a submission detailing their objections to the either/both developments. The deadline for submissions on both files is Friday 15th January at 4 o’clock and the cost per submission is €20 (each application should be treated separate from the other i.e. if you're making a submission on both, two different letters (using correct file references) and 20 per objection i.e. 40 for both). It should be noted that if you don't make a submission to the Council (at this point), you can't make an appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
Here is an explanation of both files and a link to view the drawings of each;
1) Application: #19 Watson Road & Church Road Sites (15 Houses)
Lodged: 4th December File Reference: D15A/0777
Description: Permission is sought for a development on two former sites known as "Arranmore" & "San Michele" along Church Road as well as redeveloping #19 Watson Road. The site currently has three vehicular access points out onto Church Road however in the application, the developer proposes to close two of these and maintain one as pedestrian/cycles access only. They then propose to partially demolish and redevelop #19 Watson Road in order to give vehicular access to the site so that they can develop 12 semi-detached three storey (4 and 5 bedroom) houses and two detached three storey 5 bedroom houses. This gives a total of 14 houses plus the redeveloped #19 bringing the total to 15 houses (all with off-street car parking) but no visitor spaces.
2) Application: #43 Watson Road & Church Road Sites (65 Units)
Lodged: 4th December File Reference: D15A/0778
Description: Permission is sought for demolition of the three existing dwellings along Church Road ("Smallacre", "Rockwinds", and "Woodlawn" which is now fire damaged), as well as the outbuilding and extensions to the Kylemore clinic building. There are three vehicular access points from Church Road which are to be closed in order to provide just one for the purposes of pedestrian and cycle access only. It is then proposed that the site will only be accessed via #45 Watson Road. The proposal is for a total of 65 units, as follows: 20 semi-detached houses (11 no. 4 bed 2 storey, 5 no. 5 bed 3 storey and 4 no. 5 bed 2/3 storey and 2 no. 5 bed 2/3 storey) and 11 detached houses (5 no. 4 bed 2 storey, 4 no. 5 bed 3 storey and 2 no. 5 bed 2/3 storey) all with their own off street parking, Change of use of former Kylemore Clinic from institutional to residential use accommodating 5 no. 2 bed apartments and 1 no. 3 bed apartment, Construction of 4 storey apartment block with 28 apartments (20 no. 2 bed and 8 no. 3 bed apartments), They propose to redesign of #43 Watson Road to include removal of part of the house and provision of rear extension, resulting in a three bedroom house. A redesign of the Gate Lodge is also proposed which will include the removal of part of the house and provision of rear extension, resulting in a three bedroom house with access onto Church Road. There provision of 130 car parking spaces (both underground and surface) All associated site development, landscaping, boundary treatment works, services provisions, plant and ancillary works
