An Coimisiún Pleanála has refused planning permission for a major housing development on the outskirts of Bray, rejecting Cosgrave Property Group’s proposal for 650 new homes due to concerns about urban sprawl and inadequate public transport links.
The comprehensive development would have included 241 houses and 409 apartments on a 78.5-hectare agricultural site off Berryfield Lane in the Fassaroe area. Additional infrastructure included a creche, neighborhood center, 2.4-kilometer connecting road, cycling routes, and 15.3 hectares of parkland.
The planning commission cited multiple grounds for refusal, primarily that the proposal failed to meet compact growth principles outlined in the Wicklow County Development Plan. Officials highlighted the site’s peripheral location, distance from Bray town center, and uncertainty over promised bus services from the National Transport Authority.
The commission determined the development would constitute “insufficient and unacceptable” density levels and risk creating car-dependent suburban sprawl rather than sustainable urban growth. It noted excess residential zoning in Fassaroe and availability of alternative development sites closer to existing built-up areas.
This represents the second rejection for Cosgrave on the same site, following a 2017 refusal for 658 units over similar transport and environmental concerns. The current application formed part of an ambitious four-phase plan to construct over 2,200 residential units by 2040.
Despite Wicklow County Council’s support for the project, the national planning authority maintained its position against peripheral development lacking adequate public transport infrastructure.