Appeals board turns down Bartra’s 74-unit Kilmainham apartment scheme

An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission to contentious plans by Richard Barrett's Bartra for an eight-storey high 74-unit apartment scheme for Kilmainham, Dublin 8.

The scheme by Bartra Property Ltd faced strong opposition from local residents, An Taisce, the Save Kilmainham Mill campaign group and from members of Dublin City Council.

The appeals board’s refusal upholds an earlier refusal by Dublin City Council and the board has refused planning permission for the site at 40 Old Kilmainham Road on four separate grounds.

The scheme was made up of 35 one-bed units, 38 two-bed units and one three-bed unit.

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The board refused permission after concluding that the proposed development would have an overbearing impact, resulting in a reduced level of privacy, and be seriously injurious to existing residential amenity.

The board also concluded that due to its excessive scale, bulk and unsympathetic design, the scheme would have a disproportionate and visually obtrusive impact on the surrounding area.

The board also determined that the proposal should be refused as it provides for a development of insufficient quality in terms of safeguarding higher standards.

This followed the board inspector in the case, Colin McBride, finding that the scheme was not compliant with Government guidelines, where the majority of apartments should exceed minimum floor area by at least 10 per cent.

Impact concerns

In a submission on the proposal, Kevin Duff of the Dublin City Association of An Taisce stated the scheme should be refused as it was concerned "about the impact of the proposed six- to eight-storey development on the character, setting and residential amenities of this historic area around the landmark Kilmainham Mill, a protected structure".

Separately, a subsidiary of Pat Doherty's Harcourt Developments, Greenseed Ltd, has given notice that it intends to lodge plans in the coming days for 750 apartments for Park West in Dublin 12.

The scheme is to comprise seven apartment blocks on a 9.4-hectare site and is to be bounded by Park West Road and Park West industrial estate.

A decision will be made on the strategic housing development application by An Bord Pleanála next year.