An Bord Pleanála has stopped in its tracks plans by former independent Clare TD, James Breen, from building a one-off home for himself and his wife on their lands.
Permission had been granted by Clare County Council, a decision which has now been overturned by the planning appeals authority on road safety grounds.
An Bord Pleanala determined that the Breen proposal “would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard.”
The former TD, and recently retired Councillor, was looking to build a two-bedroom home on his own lands adjacent to the N85 Ennis-Ennistymon Road in Kilnamona.
It was to be for himself and his wife Eileen, and it was planned that his son and his family would reside in his existing home, where they currently live.
The property is located on the N85 route, on a stretch of road that Councillor Breen himself dubbed as the ‘ugly mile’ due to a high level of traffic accidents.
Clare County Council found that the proposed development would not have adversely impacted on traffic levels, as all of the affected members of the Breen family are currently living at the location.
However, this decision was appealed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, who argued that the proposed development would be a “distraction to drivers” and that it would represent “an unacceptable road safety risk.”
