McKillen plan for Blackrock should be refused, council advises

A Dublin planning authority has recommended that “fast-track” plans by co-owners of the Press Up Hospitality group for a €200 million apartment scheme near Blackrock be rejected.

The 493-unit scheme from Paddy McKillen jnr and Matthew Ryan is one of two contentious Strategic Housing Development (SHD) schemes for the south Dublin area that Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is advising An Bord Pleanála should be refused.

In a separate chief executive report lodged with An Bord Pleanála, the council is recommending refusal for a "fast-track" scheme by Keith Craddock's Red Rock Glenageary Ltd for a 147-unit build-to-rent apartment scheme for Glenageary.

The McKillen scheme comprises 11 apartment blocks scheme, with one block rising to 10 storeys, on lands at St Teresa’s, Temple Hill, Monkstown, Blackrock.

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As part of its 105-page report into the McKillen scheme, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council states that the site is ideally suited to a higher-density scheme.

Mr McKillen’s Oval Target previously secured planning permission for 291 residential units in June 2019 on the same site and that permission remains in place.

However, the council said it had significant concerns relating to the new scheme’s height, scale and form and had recommended refusal of planning permission.

Sylvan character

The council highlighted the site’s sylvan and rich architectural character. It found the scheme would have an imposing and oppressive impact on the character, setting and visual amenity of St Teresa’s – a protected structure. It also pointed to a significant negative impact on the residential amenities of property within the vicinity.

In total, 41 objections have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the new scheme, including a number of group objections.

In the case of the Red Rock scheme, a separate chief executive’s report from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council recommends refusal of permission because it constitutes overdevelopment due to its scale, height, massing and layout.

More than 80 objections have been lodged against the scheme for a site at the junction of Sallynoggin Road Lower and Glenageary Avenue.