Laois County Councillors have voted to rezone land that allows for an extra 202 houses to be added to an ongoing development.
The issue of the newly constructed Sand Wood estate at Summerhill came before the Council at Monday’s meeting.
Presently, in Phase 1 and 2, 112 houses are constructed and this will see the estate almost triple in size.
Laois property developer Bircrest Ltd wishes to have Phase 2 comprise of 86 four bedroom houses and six 2 bed sheltered housing units.
Phase 3 is for a creche and 74 housing units, and Phase 4 will have 36 four bedroom two storey houses.
Councillors were asked to vote on each rezoning which amounted to a material contravention of the Laois County Development Plan 2021-2027 to allow for the developments.
15 of the 16 who were present voted in favour, with Independent Ollie Clooney abstaining, but there were plenty of cautionary voices in the room.
Independent Councillor Caroline Dwane-Stanley asked that services such as water and electricity be guaranteed.
She also raised traffic congestion concerns about what it will mean when the 1,000 pupil Dunamase College is eventually built on a site nearby.
Cllr Clooney, who abstained, said he was deeply unhappy about more housing in Portlaoise, when, he says, villages are being left behind.
He said: “There are simply too many houses stuck in Portlaoise.
“It’s just not good enough, our little villages are dying, I want a complete change of plan.”
Agreeing, fellow Independent Ben Brennan said: “Small villages are dying and fast.
“I know a school in our parish with 12 kids. It’s not looking good for the future of clubs and parishes.
“I think Portlaoise is way overpopulated. They are going to other schools because they have no room in their schools.”
While Fine Gael’s Tommy Buggy signaled his concern over housing density – using an analogy involving chickens.
He said: “When you have hens confined to a small space, they’ll pick on the smallest and kill it.
“You don’t see that in free range hens. People need space.
“We forget people have to live in these houses, to rear a family, to kick a ball. If you kick a ball now you could break a neighbour’s window.”
Director of Services Angela McEvoy said that new plans in relation to the purchasing of land banks across the county would be presented in 2026.
Phase 3 was proposed by Fianna Fail’s Catherine Fitzgerald and seconded by Labour’s Marie Tuohy.
Phase 4 by Fianna Fail’s John Joe Fennelly and Independent Tommy Mulligan while Catherine Fitzgerald and Mulligan proposed and seconded Phase 5.
