An Bord Pleanála has given the green light for a scaled down version of a mixed use scheme Keith Craddock's Redrock was proposing for Glenageary in south Dublin.
Mr Craddock's firm had lodged plans for 138 apartments units in blocks up to seven storeys high along with ground floor commercial and retail units in the Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) but the appeals board has reduced the scale of the proposal by almost one third with planning permission granted for 95 units and reducing the height to five storeys.
The appeals board has ruled that the scheme for a site at the junction of Sallynoggin Road and Glenageary Avenue, and Glenageary Roundabout, Glenageary, would constitute an acceptable mix and quantum of commercial and residential development.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council granted planning permission for the scheme last December and the case came before the board after four third party appeals were lodged including one lodged by the Bellevue, Glenageary and Rochestown Residents Association
In granting planning permission last December, the Council noted that while the development exceeded the maximum height of four storeys specified in the County Development Plan, it concluded that the Sallynoggin street scape could accommodate taller buildings.
One of the appellants, Nicola Coleman today welcomed what she described as "the significant reductions to the scale and density" of the scheme.
Ms Coleman said that the Council grant "flew in the face of democracy and caused alarm right across the community, so we decided to mount a collective appeal against the Council’s decision".
She said over 1,600 people had signed a petition opposing the development "and a fundraiser financed the hiring of a professional planning consultant to represent us at the appeal".
The appeals board conditions also increase the size of several apartments and eliminate others to provide larger areas of retail space.
Ms Coleman said that from the outset people were "horrified" by the size and scale of Red Rocks proposals which originally sought to locate a nine-storey block in a neighbourhood of small single storey cottages and modest two storey family homes.
She said: "The fact that overall height and density has been reduced by a third is a relief. However we have eight weeks to fully consider the implications of the board decision and we are not yet closing the door on other options."
Ms Coleman said: "Our community fought hard to be heard in a system that favours developer led planning and prioritises investors interests over the community."
Ms Coleman said that while the appeals board modifications are welcome "what we really want is social and affordable homes, real useful neighbourhood facilities, safe streets and roads and planning that involves the community in the process".
Mr Craddock’s Redrock application was a renewed attempt to build on the site after An Bord Pleanala in April 2022 refused planning permission to Redrock for a 147 unit build to rent Strategic Housing Development (SHD) after the proposal encountered strong local opposition.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
