A substantial 115-unit housing development in Cabinteely, Dublin 18, has been given the go ahead under the Government's latest fast-track planning initiative.
An Bord Pleanála (ABP) granted permission on May 29th for Marlet Property Group to build 26 houses and 89 apartments on the former Doyles Nursery site on Brennanstown Road.
Marlet applied for the permission in March via the newly introduced strategic housing development initiative designed to speed up the planning process. Under the scheme builders apply to An Bord Pleanála directly for permission after consulting the local council. The board then has 16 weeks to decide, and it can approve the plans, modify them or refuse them. The Cabinteely scheme was approved three weeks before deadline, incorporating road improvements requested by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
The decision follows swiftly on the heels of another successful Marlet application under the new housing initiative scheme.
In April, ABP approved a controversial development comprising more than 100 houses and 400 apartments on a site at St Anne's Park in north Dublin currently used by St Paul's College as playing fields. There had been substantial local opposition to the proposal, and city council chief executive Owen Keegan had recommended that An Bord Pleanála refuse the application.
The site at Cabinteely is located about 100 metres from Cabinteely Park, and was owned by Doyle's Nursery and Garden Centre. A part of the nursery was sold about five years ago to New Generation Homes headed by Greg Kavanagh and Marlet chief executive Pat Crean. Following Mr Kavanagh's departure from New Generation, the company's assets ultimately came under the control of Marlet through its UK backer.
The new scheme will comprise 13 one-bed apartments, 54 two-bed apartments and 22 three-bed apartments housed in five buildings ranging in height from three to six storeys. In addition there will be 18 three-bed houses, two four-bed houses and six properties with either four or five beds.
Access to the site, which will have on-street parking and a basement car park for 190 spaces, is proposed at the location of the existing entrance to the new Doyle’s Nursery and Garden Centre facility.
In a statement Pat Crean, chief executive of Marlet Property Group, said: “We are particularly pleased about this decision, as it follows a period of very productive consultation with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council. Councillors last year rejected a Part 8 scheme to improve the road serving this development. We have worked with the Council, the development has improved as a result and there will now be 115 badly needed houses and apartments built.”
There are currently applications with An Bord Pleanála for around 1,300 apartments, 1,700 houses and 700 student bed spaces, mainly in the Dublin area.
