Cllr Derek Mitchell says the Kilcoole Main Street and Housing plan needs changing.
Bord Pleanala has received a Strategic Housing Development Application for 262 homes and some Commercial Units.
Applications for over 100 houses go direct to the Bord and this is the first one in Wicklow under this new procedure.
While houses are welcome this plan needs drastic changing. I have asked the Bord to make major changes to the scheme.
It was intended that this area would be a Town Centre for the large village of Kilcoole, population about 5,000.
This does not seem to be a Town Centre and the site is the last opportunity to develop one. The Commercial buildings are poor and don’t give a sense of place. The Innovation Centre should be built by the developer.
In Phase 1 there is a lack of public open space. It should be a condition that most of the public park will be open in phase 1.There is likely to be a long period (say 20 years) before phase 2 is started and the site awaiting development should be neatly finished off.
The amount of housing seems too high: The layout of the site appears to cut off land to the South from development. Space should be left for access and some provision for electric car charging is needed.
I hope the Bord will make these extensive changes to the plan.
