New housing development in centre of Kilkenny town to go ahead despite height objections

A new development of family homes in the centre of a Kilkenny town, which has been in the offing for a number of years, can finally go ahead after getting the green light from planners.

Developer Cliondha O’Reilly had initially received planning permission from Kilkenny County Council to build 14 homes on a 0.83 hectare site in the centre of Freshford back in 2017.

However, following an appeal at that time regarding the height of some of the houses on the site just off Kilkenny Street in the town, the developer went back and scaled back their plans to a 10-home development.

Last September the plans were resubmitted to Kilkenny County Council, and were again approved.

The decision was appealed once again as the appellants feared the houses overlooking their property would be single storey homes, rather than two-storey.

However, An Bord Pleanála has now ruled that the newly built homes “would not have any undue impact on the residential amenity of the adjacent property” and upheld Kilkenny Council decision to grant permission.

The developer can now proceed with the plans, which will see an existing house on the site retained and rejuvenated, while some existing sheds and outhouses will be demolished to make way for the new development.