The proposed zoning of lands adjoining Abbeyville in Roscommon Town for new housing prompted a lengthy debate at Monday’s special meeting of Roscommon County Council, with traffic, access and the unfinished status of the existing estate among the issues raised.
The lands are proposed to be zoned New Residential under Variation No. 1 of the Roscommon County Development Plan 2022-2028.
Abbeyville Residents Association made two submissions objecting to the proposal. The association pointed out that the estate already contains 129 houses, served by narrow internal roads and a single entrance and exit onto the N63 Galway Road.
Residents argued that any further development should have an independent secondary access directly onto the Galway Road, and also raised concerns over emergency access, water and wastewater capacity and the impact of construction traffic.
Cllr Marty McDermott subsequently tabled a formal Notice of Motion opposing the proposed zoning.
“While I understand the need for strategic development, the current proposal poses significant risks to the safety, infrastructure and quality of life within Abbeyville Estate on the Galway Road,” Cllr McDermott stated in his motion.
He said directing additional traffic through the estate could create significant congestion and pose a safety risk to children, pedestrians and other road users, while describing reliance on the existing single access as an “unsustainable bottleneck”.
Cllr McDermott also argued that any future development should be conditional on a completely independent access onto the Galway Road, together with confirmation that adequate water and wastewater infrastructure is available.
The issue prompted wider debate among councillors. Cllr Tom Crosby argued in favour of ensuring that sufficient land is available for housing development, while Cllr Laurence Fallon acknowledged the concerns raised by residents but also pointed to the strategic development potential of the lands.
The Chief Executive had recommended retaining the New Residential zoning. In his report, he said the lands adjoin an existing built-up residential area and are located close to schools, childcare, community facilities, employment, shops, open space and public transport, making them suitable in principle for the sequential expansion of Roscommon Town.
The report stresses, however, that zoning does not amount to planning permission and does not determine the eventual scale, density or access arrangements of any future development. Traffic, road safety, servicing and infrastructure would have to be examined in detail through any future planning application.
Significantly, the Chief Executive’s report also confirms that Abbeyville remains an unfinished housing development and has not yet been taken in charge by Roscommon County Council.
It states that any future development dependent on access through Abbeyville, or on infrastructure within the estate, should only proceed where outstanding issues relating to its satisfactory completion have been resolved. The Chief Executive nevertheless concluded that those issues were capable of technical resolution and did not prevent the adjoining lands from being zoned for residential development.
