RESIDENTS of a Limerick City community won their High Court battle to prevent the development of 55 new homes close to their housing estate.
A High Court ruling was handed down quashing a decision by An Bord Pleanála granting permission for the development of 55 new homes on a greenfield site near the Dublin Road in Limerick City.
Planning permission was previously given to Michael Murphy Homes Ltd by An Bord Pleanála, despite refusal from Limerick City and County Council and a recommendation from one of the planning body’s own inspectors against the development.
Standing against An Bord Pleanála’s decision, residents of the nearby Hillcroft Close took a case against the planning decision to the High Court, where Justice Richard Humphreys quashed the planning grant.
This comes after the High Court had been informed that An Bord Pleanála had conceded the case.
Welcoming the news, residents said they were “delighted with the ruling and decision of the High Court to overturn An Bord Pleanála’s decision”.
“Hillcroft residents would have been badly impacted by the development, the green space where the children play and cul de sac would have been gone.”
The residents extended their thanks to solicitor Michelle Hayes, who represented them in the case.
Ms Hayes, also the president of Environmental Trust Ireland, said that should the development of the 55 homes have gone forward, it would have had a “very severe adverse effect on residential amenity, including traffic safety hazards for children, loss of open green space, habitats and protected species”.
