New apartments plan for prominent site in Mayo county town

A NEW planning application for a residential development on the former Coal Bunker site in Castlebar has been submitted to Mayo County Council.

The site is located opposite the Sacred Heart Hospital, where developer Harold Conway is seeking permission to construct a 12-unit housing scheme to north of the junction of the Pontoon and Turlough roads.

The proposal comprises 12 apartments (four two-bed and eight one-bed) in a three-storey building, with vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access via the Turlough Road. Associated development and works include hard and soft landscaping, car and cycle parking, bin stores, and communal and private amenity spaces.

A previous application for the site was rejected by planners.

The new proposal sees a reduction in unit numbers from 19 to 12.

A planning statement submitted to Mayo County Council sets out how the overall project would be anticipated to deliver in excess of €5 million in construction stage investment, creating or supporting in the order of 60 or more jobs in the town, along with housing for in the order of 30 people (based on typical occupancy rates on completion).

The site is currently vacant and could generate significant housing demand in terms of right-sizing for older housing, for which there is also significant need.

Further to the previous refusal, extensive pre-planning engagement has been undertaken with various departments of the planning authority and have focused on addressing the concerns expressed in the previous refusal, and associated feedback.

As part of this, the design team have revised the scheme design considerably, which they feel represents a considered and compromise position to address the comments and feedback provided.

The report outlines how these include adjustments to massing, materials, public realm / road strategy, etc., which are elaborated on in the planning statement.