Rathmines shared co-living plan put on hold after appeals lodged

A community group in Rathmines has appealed the decision to give the go-ahead to a planned shared co-living 97-unit plan for the area.

Blondie Issuer Dac last month secured planning permission for the 97-unit after Dublin City Council reduced the scale of the plan for 143-149 Rathmines Road Lower.

The original application was for a 110-unit development. Now, two appeals have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the city council decision by third parties.

The council decision last month removed the top floor of the seven-storey plan and the applicants have also appealed against conditions attached to the permission.

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Unsustainable

In its appeal, community group, Rathmines Initiative told An Bord Pleanála that the proposed co-living units “are the bedsits of our times”.

On behalf of the Rathmines Initiative, Michael Kelly said: “The Rathmines Initiative wonders if the projected market for such units actually exists.”

Mr Kelly asked: “Can any village or township peripheral to Dublin city centre accommodate such a concentration of co-living as proposed for Rathmines without damaging its urban quality and negatively impacting its established community? At some stage, such concentration becomes unsustainable.”

Calling on the appeals board to refuse planning permission, the Rathmines Initiative said the the appeals board should invite the applicant to submit a radically redesigned proposal.

Nicola McMenamin, Adam McMenamin and Lucy McMenamin have also appealed concerning the council decision to grant.

Bedroom units

The individual bedroom units in the proposal vary in size with shared kitchen, dining and living communal facilities on each floor level.  In addition on the ground floor there will be reception, gymnasium, residents’ lounge and laundrette.

Planning consultants for the applicants, Manahan Planners told the council that the conversion and expansion of this disused office building for a shared accommodation development will create a high-quality residential development and contribute positively to the development of the Rathmines area.