An Bord Pleanala has rejected contentious plans for a €30 million apartment scheme for Dublin’s Old Navan Road.
Bartra Property (Castleknock) Ltd was planning to build a five storey, 56 apartment scheme on the site at Brady’s Public House, Old Navan Rd, Dublin 15.
The refusal upholds a decision by Fingal Co Council to refuse planning permission after 75 objections were lodged against the proposal.
It is now the second failed attempt by Bartra to secure planning permission to redevelop the site.
Among the objectors was Castleknock resident, Barry O’Lone who in 2023 turned down a €100,000 offer from Bartra to withdraw a High Court challenge against a 210 bedspace co-living scheme for the same site opposite his family home.
That co-living scheme did not proceed and in May of last year, Bartra Property (Castleknock) Ltd lodged plans for the apartment scheme for the site.
As part of his objection, Mr O’Lone repeated the allegation that he was previously offered €100,000 by Bartra in April 2023 to withdraw the High Court judicial review against the co-living scheme.
In its refusal to the new scheme, the appeals board concluded that having regard to its height, massing, bulk and design and its lack of a direct relationship with the public open space located immediately to the north-east of the subject site, the proposed development fails to integrate with the established character of the area.
As a result the scheme would be contrary to the Fingal County Development Plan 2023-2029, which requires that new development adds quality by integrating high quality design and ensuring good quality accessible public realms, it said.
The board also refused permission as the lack of adequate on-site car parking provision would result in substandard residential amenity for future occupants and would be likely to result in congestion and obstruction of roads, which would endanger public safety.
In the Bartra appeal lodged, Thornton O’Connor Town Planning stated that there are not many better sites in the city that have the capacity for increased height and density.
Bartra did not respond to a request for comment.
