Residents object to apartment and hotel plan on former RTÉ lands

Dublin City Council gave approval to Cairn Homes Montrose for the development at the 4.1 hectare site which had been a part of the overall RTÉ campus.

A local residents’ association has objected to the planning permission granted for almost 700 new apartments and a hotel on grounds formerly occupied by RTÉ at Montrose in Dublin.

In December, Dublin City Council gave approval to Cairn Homes Montrose for the development at the 4.1 hectare site which had been a part of the overall RTÉ campus. Cairn Homes bought just under nine acres of land at the site for over €107 million in 2017.

In late October, a planning application was lodged for a large-scale residential development on the site, which would see the demolition of the former RTÉ Sports and Social Club and all structures associated with the former Fair City set.

This would make way for 688 apartments, comprising 272 build-to-sell units and 416 build-to-rent units, along with a 192-room hotel with an associated restaurant.

Across 10 blocks which included one as high as 16-storeys for the proposed hotel, the apartments would also include 15 age-friendly units along with a creche and residential amenities.

A planning submission on behalf of Cairn Homes said the proposed schemes would deliver a “sustainable, high-density residential development within the existing footprint of Dublin city”, and that it would “provide for a more efficient use of land on what is currently an under-utilised suburban site”.

In a report from the deputy planning officer at Dublin City Council, it concluded the proposal “has the potential to deliver a high-quality residential development at a serviced site that is located at a central location on a public transport corridor”.

This report also said the development would not be “seriously injurious” to the residential amenities of the surrounding area and “will not have a seriously negative impact on the architectural character and settings of surrounding protected structures”.

Appeal

The appeal against the permission granted for the development came from Keith MacDonald, on behalf of the Anglesea Road, Ailesbury Drive, and Ailesbury Grove Residents Association.

In their letter to An Bord Pleanála, Mr MacDonald said that residents were surprised and disappointed that a final decision was issued by the council 10 working days after the final date for observations.

“If more time been taken in arriving at a decision — in line with what is normal — perhaps different conclusions would have been reached,” he said.

In the letter, concerns were also raised about the “gigantic and overbearing” nature of the development. The residents said that “something that was approximately 50% of its size and scale would be much more consistent with good planning and development” as it urged An Bord Pleanála to overturn the council’s decision and refuse permission for the development.

An Bord Pleanála has said the case is due to be decided by May 1, but has previously acknowledged that it is not meeting its statutory deadlines in a “large number of cases”.