Mairead Ronan and husband hit back at objectors' planning claims over home revamp at holiday hotspot
Broadcaster and podcaster, Mairead Ronan, and her husband Louis have hit back at objectors’ claims over their plans to revamp and extend their Dermot Bannon Architects-inspired family home at a Co Waterford tourism hotspot.This follows the Ronans lodging a new submission with An Coimisúin Pleanála rebutting the claims made in four separate appeals by local residents that have stalled their house upgrade plan at Dunmore East.In January, Waterford City and County Council granted planning permission to the Ronans for the house revamp and extension designed by Dermot Bannon Architects.However, a question mark has been put over their plans with the four third party appeals lodged to An Coimiúsin Pleanála.Previously ACP refused the Ronans' planning application for a house revamp and extension in November 2023 after locals objected in the local running planning saga.Mairead Ronan is currently a contributor on Ray D'Arcy's new podcast the Ray D'Arcy Daily.The current Ronan plan lodged in December 2024 included a 165 sq metre extension compared to the 60 sq metre home currently in place where 46 sq metre of the existing home all be retained.Now in response to the claims made by the locals in their appeals, the Ronans’ planning consultant has lodged a 25 page submission with ACP on their behalf disputing the claims made by the objectors.In the submission, planning consultant, David Mulcahy notes that one of the appellants' claims that the home’s balcony is an “elevated entertainment terrace”.Mr Mulcahy said that “our client takes issue with the description of the proposed balcony as an ‘elevated entertainment terrace’ giving the impression that this will be used for social gatherings or parties. The balcony will be used by the family for relaxing and nothing more”.Mr Mulcahy has told ACP that the size of the existing home at only 60sq metres “is notably small and cannot facilitate the applicant’s family of six persons”.Mr Mulcahy states that the current home “is the equivalent of a one bedroom apartment”.He also points out the existing dwelling “is located on a notably large site which is largely underutilised”.Mr Mulcahy said that the site was vacant for 25 years and remained this way due to the small size of the home “which is not conducive to modern day living”.He says that a balanced approach has to be adopted in terms of marrying the need to provide sufficient floor area to accommodate a modern home and the conservation principles that guide development in this area.Mr Mulcahy states that the “the architectural design achieves this”.Mr Mulcahy also bristles at the claim made by one of the appellants that the Ronan home is a holiday home.He says that describing the home as a holiday home “gives the impression to the Commission that it will be used on a temporary basis”.Mr Mulcahy states that “our client wishes to highlight that they spend the majority of their time in Dunmore East and they expect this to increase if they obtain planning permission and build out the development”.He says that in relation to the concerns about noise and light nuisance by the appellants, Mr Mulcahy said that no evidence is provided to support this position.He said that the Ronans “are fully respectful of their neighbours and have no desire to impede on their residential amenity in terms of noise impacts or light nuisance”.Mr Mulcahy also rejects the appellants’ claim that the Ronans’ planned rooftop terrace will result in overlooking and a loss of privacy.He has told ACP that the rooftop balcony or terrace “will be comfortably absorbed into the massing of the new roof and will not present as a dominant or incongruous feature”,Mr Mulcahy states that the Romans “have made a concerted effort to change the design and reduce the scale” when compared to the proposals refused planning permission in November 2023.Mr Mulcahy said that the proposed development “represents exceptional architecture and will make a significant positive contribution to the area.Mr Mulcahy said that the architects “have produced a contemporary design which in itself is striking and aesthetically pleasing whilst at the same time being respectful of the scale of development in the area”.ACP has invited the appellants to make rebuttal submissions on the points made in the Ronan submission and a decision on the appeal is due later this year.Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
