Green light for 730-unit apartment scheme by Cairn Homes in north Dublin

An Bord Pleanála has granted Cairn Homes fast-track planning permission for a 730-unit apartment scheme on a site east of Belmayne Avenue, Parkside, in Dublin 13.

The appeals board approved the plan under strategic housing development (SHD) legislation despite residents expressing a sense of “shock and betrayal” over the plans. A total of 88 people objected to the scheme, which reaches nine storeys. It is the fifth phase of the Parkside development.

Consultants for Cairn Homes told An Bord Pleanála that to date 534 of the 846 units built have been sold and occupied.

The new scheme comprises three studio units, 315 one-bed, 376 two-bedroom and 36 three-bedroom apartments across five apartment blocks and two duplex blocks.

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In compliance with its Part V social housing obligations, Cairn Homes is to sell 73 homes to Dublin City Council for social housing.

In giving the scheme the go-ahead, the board ruled the development would constitute an acceptable quantum and density in this urban, accessible location, and would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.

It also said the scheme would be acceptable in terms of design, height and scale of development.

The board determined that the scheme materially contravened the Dublin City Development Plan in relation to height. However, this was justified due to the potential of the scheme to substantially contribute to the achievement of the Government’s national policy to increase housing supply.

Density

Dublin City Council planners had recommended that planning permission be granted. However, the appeals board inspector’s report records that county councillors from the north central area committee contended that development at the site would be of excessive height and density for the location.

The board inspector, Colm McLoughlin, said he was “satisfied that the proposed development would contribute to the sustainable and compact growth of the area”.

Local resident Robert Linnane said Parkside residents, many of whom only purchased their homes in the past 18 months, "feel a serious sense of shock and betrayal at this proposal which will be seriously injurious to their residential amenities and to the visual amenity of this new residential area".

Echoing the views of other objectors, he said the proposed development “in terms of density and building heights represents an overdevelopment relative to existing and adjacent development”.