Green light for Castleknock apartment plan in face of local opposition

Glenveagh Homes and Ballymore Developments have secured planning permission for more than 330 residential units at two separate sites in Dublin.

Two of the country’s biggest house builders - Glenveagh Homes and Ballymore Developments - have secured planning permission for ‘fast track’ plans for more than 330 residential units at two separate sites in Dublin.

This follows An Bord Pleanála giving the green light to Glenveagh Homes to construct 192 apartments at Castleknock, Dublin 15.

The appeals board has granted planning permission for the proposal for five five-storey apartment blocks at Balroy House, Carpenterstown Rd, Castleknock in the face of widespread local opposition.

In total 125 objections were lodged against the proposal. One of those to object was former Labour TD, Joan Burton.

Ms Burton was a TD at the time of making a joint objection with Cllr John Walsh (Lab).

The Burton objection claimed that the proposal is “detrimental to the local environment” and “damaging to residential amenity”.

Joan Burton

The objection claimed that “the scale and height of the proposed five-block, five-storey over-basement development is inappropriate and out of keeping with the pattern of development in the surrounding area.”

Elected councillors for the area claimed that the development’s density is too high and there is no capacity in schools or childcare in the area.

However, the An Bord Pleanala inspector in the case, Senior Planning Inspector, Rónán O’Connor stated that “the provision of a higher density residential development at this location is desirable with regard to its intermediate suburban location and its proximity to high frequent transport services".

Mr O’Connor stated that in addition, the site is located in an area with a wide range of social infrastructure facilities.

He said:

The height, bulk and massing, detailed design and layout of the scheme are acceptable. I am also satisfied that the development would not have any significant adverse impacts on the amenities of the surrounding area.

He further stated that the future occupiers of the scheme will benefit from a high standard of internal amenity.

The appeals board has also granted planning permission to Ballymore Property Developments for 142 residential units at Seamount Rd and Seamount Abbey at Malahide in north Dublin.

The plan is made up of 58 detached, semi-detached and terraced homes alone with 76 apartments along with eight one bed maisonette apartments.

The appeals board found that the proposal would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area and would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development.