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Lord Inchiquin wins lodge appealLord Inchiquin, right, has won an appeal to An Bord Pleanála to build a new gate lodge style house at Dromoland in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare.He appealed a decision by Clare County Council to refuse outline planning permission because "it would by itself or by precedent give rise to ribbon development and go against policy to create cluster development".

However, Lord Inchiquin argued that he facilitated Clare Co Council by allowing a reservoir on his lands, as well as a road, and said that a proposal was prepared to allow for a gate lodge type property to accommodate a member of Dromoland estate staff who would monitor visitor access.

Rathfarnham homes refused

Maplewood Developments has been refused planning permission by South Dublin County Council to build 610 homes at Scholarstown in Rathfarnham.

Maplewood Developments was also looking to build a 420 sq m (4,521 sq ft) crèche, a 1,165 sq m (12,540 sq ft) gym/swimming pool and a 1,282 sq m (13,800 sq ft) public house/restaurant on a 24-acre site at Ballyboden, Dublin 16 and bounded by Stocking Lane.

The proposal was for a mix of 15 detached houses, 27 townhouses, and 568 apartments. John Barrett, Michael Whelan and Bridie Whelan are directors of Maplewood Developments, a St Moritz construction company.

South Dublin County Council refused on the grounds that 63 units per hectare in an area not serviced by public transport would contravene its development plan and that five-storey buildings would be intrusive on the landscape.

It said that access to the scheme was inadequate, and that open space was poorly distributed. Other reasons given were that the dwelling mix was unacceptable with a "preponderance of apartments" and insufficient detached and semi-detached houses.