A DEVELOPER has failed to reignite plans for a high-density apartment block along the River Barrow in Carlow town.

Derek Devoy Ltd was unsuccessful in its bid to overturn a decision by Carlow County Council to refuse planning permission for 60 apartments at the old Greenvale site on Montgomery Street, Carlow last August.

The company had appealed to An Bord Pleanála after the council considered the project excessive at a visually sensitive location fronting onto the Barrow Track and River Barrow.

Derek Devoy Ltd cited planning history in the area in its appeal, with applications previously granted for a high-density apartment development in the area in the mid-noughties.

The company said this created a precedent and excepted the council to be consistent in its planning principles.

An Bord Pleanála noted the planning permission was only legally binding for its duration, which is typically five years.

Rejecting the appeal, An Bord Pleanála said it could not be satisfied based on the documentation provided that the project would not have a significant impact on the River Barrow and Nore SAC. It also noted the land’s current zoning in the county development plan was for open space and recreation and this development would be contrary to proper planning and sustainable development. The planning authority also said there was an “unacceptable risk” of flooding from the development.

The Greenvale site was historically a textile mill and malthouse between 1829 and 1842, before being converted to a gasworks in 1845. It was last used as an abattoir and meat processing factory in the mid-1990s until its closure.