Gordon Deegan
An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to ‘fast track’ plans for a €200 million 482-apartment development at Carrickmines in Dublin.
The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme comprises of seven apartment blocks with one ‘landmark’ building reaching to 22 storeys in height at Golf Lane, Carrickmines.
The proposal by Bowbeck DAC is made up of 229 two-bed apartments, 183 one bedroom units, 31 studio units and 39 three-bedroom apartments.
The appeals board has granted planning permission in spite of the strong recommendation from planners from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to refuse planning permission.
The appeals board found t the scheme would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height, scale and massing. It also concluded that the scheme would not result in undue overlooking of adjacent sites.
Social housing
As part of the proposal, Bowbeck DAC has put a price tag of €19.9 million on 48 apartments it is planning to sell to the council for social housing as part of its Part V social housing obligations.
Planning consultants for Bowbeck DAC, John Spain & Associates told the appeals board that the architectural design for the 22-storey landmark building "is bespoke, site specific, and carefully considered”.
Mr Spain stated that the proposed development “will provide an appropriate form of high-quality residential development for this under-utilised, residential zoned site, while responding sensitively to the features and constraints associated with the subject site, including adjoining properties”.
Submissions
In total, the appeals board received 34 submissions including ones from Richard Boyd Barrett TD and An Taisce.
One submission included 34 households listed outlining their opposition to the plan.
The South Dublin Association of An Taisce told the appeals board “in our view, a tall landmark building at the M50 interchange at Carrickmines is neither necessary nor appropriate”.
An Taisce stated that the proposed height of the landmark building “is clearly excessive”.
In his submission, Mr Boyd Barrett along with Cllr Melisa Halpin argued that the height and density of the development is completely out of keeping with the surrounding residential area.