Covid-19 crisis puts halt to major new housing development in Kilkenny city
The Covid-10 emergency has put the brakes on plans for a large housing development in a much sought after location on the outskirts of Kilkenny city.
Torca Developments had applied directly to An Bord Pleanála to construct 36 houses and 84 apartments at the Sion Hermitage on Sion Road.
As the Sion Hermitage development has plans for more than 100 homes, it is considered a Special Housing Development under new guidelines brought in by the Government in 2016 in an effort to speed up the planning process and get more homes built and into the Irish housing market.
As part of that process, developers can now go directly to An Bord Pleanála, by-passing the normal council planning system, when applying for planning permission.
Torca Developments lodged their plans, which include the demolition of the buildings currently on the site along side the creation of the houses, apartments and a childcare facility, on March 27.
Two days later An Bord Pleanála announced that for Special Housing Development applications, all regular time limits to lodge planning appeals or submissions have been frozen by a Government Order beginning on March 29 2020.
It will now be late July at the earliest that the developers will know whether their ambitious plans will get the green light.
Torca Developments, a company based in Ballsbridge and headed by Pheilim and Oisin O’Connor, have previously developed land and housing in Kilkenny at the old James Stephen’s GAA training pitch, where they built 25 homes.
