Dublin 4 residents object to Cairn plans for former RTÉ campus

A group of Dublin 4 residents has lodged a planning appeal against the green light for contentious plans for “a grossly disproportionate” mixed use apartment and hotel scheme for former RTÉ lands at Donnybrook.

Last month, Dublin City Council granted planning permission to Cairn Homes for the construction of a 192 bedroom hotel and 688 apartments comprising 416 built to rent apartments and 272 ‘build to sell’ units.

The scheme is to be built across 10 blocks. The building housing the hotel is slated to be 16 storeys tall.

The council gave the scheme the go-ahead despite local opposition and An Bord Pleanála is to now determine the application. This follows the Anglesea Rd, Ailesbury Drive and Ailesbury Grove Residents Association (ARADAG) lodging a third party appeal against the Council grant of permission.

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Other third party appeals are anticipated – as many as 15 third parties made submissions to the council on the proposed development.

Cairn Homes bought the site from RTÉ for €107.5 million in 2017.

In the original objection against the scheme, on behalf of ARADAG, Keith MacDonald stated “we believe that the scale of development, comprising 91,646 sq m, is excessive given the size and location of the site”.

Mr MacDonald added: “The resulting densities would be well in excess of norms particularly as it is largely surrounded by two storey residential dwellings.”

Mr MacDonald pointed out that “the excessive density is being achieved through a series of tower blocks, the largest of which at 16 storeys is approximately the same height as Liberty Hall”.

He further stated: “That would be both unprecedented and excessive, would be out of character with the locality, would intrude on the privacy and quiet enjoyment of existing residents and is, in our view, grossly disproportionate to acceptable forms as envisaged by the existing and upcoming City Development Plan.”

Mr MacDonald stated that the 688 residential units and 192 bedroom hotel “would add in the region of 2,000 residents to the locality”.

He said: “Both the hotel and the residential units would put an immense strain on the amenities in the area which already is extremely busy and heavily developed.”

The 57 page Dublin City Council planner’s report recommending planning permission stated that the scheme “has potential to create a vibrant residential community in this part of the city and is therefore considered to be in the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

The planner’s report also stated that the proposal “has the potential to deliver a high quality residential development at a serviced site that is located at a central location on a public transport corridor”.