PLANNING PERMISSION has been granted for the construction of 55 houses and a childcare facility in Smithstown, Shannon.
Woodhaven Developments Ltd are behind the project which received the green light from Clare County Council on Monday.
Phase two of the development consists of the construction of 51 two storey houses, 4 two storey dwelling houses with optional attic space accommodation and a two storey childcare facility.
A total of 28 conditions are attached to the decision, including three separate payments which will see the developer hand over €600,000 to the local authority. The payments are broken down as €311,801 for public infrastructure, €275,000 for cash security until the development is taken in charge and €70,000 under the special development contribution.
Further information had been requested by the Council at the end of February with revised plans lodged at the beginning of June.
Issues initially flagged by the planning authority included the siting of the crѐche facility, absence of lighting where the cycle path joins the laneway on the northern boundary, the location of the second storm water attenuation tank and proposed boundary treatment.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Larry Brennan of Woodhaven Developments welcomed the decision. “There hasn’t been a bungalow built in Shannon since 1970, this will be the first time since that one will come on for sale on the private market. An ordinary three bedroom house hasn’t been built since 2006 or 2007 in Shannon, this will offer private housing and three bedrooms for the first time in fifteen years. All previous developments in the last three years were sold to housing bodies or Clare County Council”.
Larry outlined that the works in Shannon “will supplement the private developments we are working on in Crusheen and Tulla”. Last month, Woodhaven Developments received permission to build 42 new homes on a site close to 1.78 hectares close to the centre of Crusheen, the company estimated that completion of the estate would take 36 months and represent an investment of €10.3 million, and the creation of 42 jobs. “We did not receive a single objection to this application, it is the public really seeing the need for housing in Crusheen,” Brennan added.
