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Developer appeals refusal of 181 apartment Harold’s Cross development

The development, declined by Dublin City Council planners, has been dubbed a ‘Silicon Docks’ style scheme

The Council has refused planning permission to Adroit Company Ltd’s Large Scale Residential (LRD) scheme at Harold's Cross Rd after the scheme encountered strong local opposition. File photograph

Gordon Deegan
Fri Apr 5 2024 - 18:44

A developer is contesting Dublin City Council’s refusal to grant planning for 181 apartments dubbed a Dublin Port ‘Silicon Docks’ style scheme for Harold’s Cross in Dublin.

Adroit Company Ltd lodged a first party appeal against the council’s refusal with An Bord Pleanála.

The council last month refused planning permission to the Large Scale Residential (LRD) scheme that consists of four apartment blocks rising between four and seven storeys at Harold’s Cross Road after the scheme encountered strong local opposition.

The council refused planning permission due to flooding concerns and access issues.

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Over 40 submissions were lodged in respect of the scheme and in his submission, owner of the Mount Jerome crematorium, Alan Massey of Gate Lodge, Mount Jerome, stated “this proposed development looks like a modern ‘Silicon Docks’ development of the Dublin Port area that has landed in Harold’s Cross. It is totally out of character with the immediate and surrounding area.”

Now, in a comprehensive 123 page appeal lodged with supporting documents, consultants for Adroit Company, Armstrong Fenton Associates, state the application “represents the regeneration of an important site and makes an important contribution to housing stock of 181 units”.

Tracy Armstrong states that “given the prominent location of the site addressing Harold’s Cross Road, the proposed development has been designed to provide for a strong urban form to provide good street frontage”.

Ms Armstrong contends that “the design of the buildings and their heights will make a positive contribution to the wider urban area”.

Ms Armstong argues that the proposed building heights from three storeys to a maximum of seven storeys across the site “cannot be considered challenging on this core urban site”.

The chartered town planner further contends that the proposed development “supports the creation of a successful compact, urban city where people can live, work and play” and represents “an ideal opportunity to realise a development of sufficient scale and height”.

On the council’s flooding concerns over the scheme a separate report lodged with the appeal states that the developers would welcome a condition in a planning permission that no homes would be occupied until such time that the Poddle Flood Alleviation Scheme has been completed.

The report states that work on the scheme has commenced and is due for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027.

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