Councillors have voted to rezone the former GAA grounds at Farnbeg in Strokestown for new residential development, despite a recommendation from Roscommon County Council that the lands should remain outside the town’s settlement boundary.
The decision was taken as elected members considered changes to the Roscommon County Development Plan.
The approximately three-hectare site is located at Farnbeg and had been outside the existing Strokestown settlement boundary.
Council Director of Services Mark Keaveney told the meeting that the Council’s recommendation was that the land should not be zoned and should remain outside the settlement boundary.
However, councillors backed a proposal from Cllr Tom Crosby to include the lands for residential development.
Cllr Crosby told the meeting that the company which owns the brownfield site is interested in developing a retirement community facility there and argued that the former GAA grounds would be suitable for such a development.
The zoning decision does not itself grant permission for a retirement village or any other residential development. Any future proposal for the lands would still have to go through the relevant planning process.
The alteration forms part of the ongoing process to vary the Roscommon County Development Plan 2022-2028.
Proposed material alterations to Variation No. 1 of the plan are currently on public display, with submissions accepted until 4 pm on Monday, October 19.
