HIGH-RISE plans for a former bakery site in Phibsboroughhave failed to impress planners at Dublin City Councilwho have lopped eight storeys off a proposed 13-storey tower.
Developers Liam Moranand Vincent Maguirewill be celebrating a hollow victory this week having finally secured permission tore-develop a prime bakery site at Cross Guns Bridgeon the Royal Canal.
Council planners said yes, but told the duo to scale back a 13-storey tower of medical suites to five storeys and to reduce two eight-storey blocks of apartments by two storeys.
While residents have vowed to appeal the grant of permission to An Bord Pleanála, they are, no doubt, secretly pleased that council planners seemed to take have cognisance of their views.
This is Stateford Ltd'ssecond go at the site. Last time round they were refused by the council for over 200 apartments and a 13-storey tower. The absence of a local area plan was cited as one of the stumbling blocks by planners.
Some would question the wisdom of granting permission for the scheme now when city councillors are set to sign off on the the draft local area plan at the start of October.
Either way, most will agree that the council's strict conditions, which in effect mean the loss of 58 apartments and 20 medical suites, are true to the spirit of the nearly-there draft plan.
Maybe residents' associations in D4 should take a spin up to D7 for some pointers on how to overcome high-rise happy developers.
