Dún Laoghaire hospital car park redevelopment gets approval

Noel Smyth’s Fitzwilliam Real Estate has secured permission for contentious plans for a 74-unit build-to-rent scheme for Dún Laoghaire’s Seafront Quarter.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has granted permission to Fitzwilliam DL only after it scaled back its previous plan for 88 units to 74 units after the council had expressed concerns over the scale of the scheme.

Mr Smyth’s Fitzwilliam DL Ltd had lodged plans for the two apartment blocks at St Michael Hospital’s car park, on Crofton Park, Dún Laoghaire, in November.

Earlier proposal

An earlier proposal for 102 build-to-rent homes in blocks rising to 13 storeys on the site was stalled by residents who triggered a judicial review of that scheme.

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Crofton Buildings Management CLG and Stephanie Bourke of Carrickbrennan Road, Monkstown, initiated the High Court challenge after An Bord Pleanála had approved a fast-track strategic housing development application by the developer.

Recommending approval for the latest reduced scheme, council planners said third-party submissions relating to the visual impact of the development had been addressed by the applicants with changes to the overall scale of the development. Proposals and mitigation measures by the applicant “will improve the integration of the proposed development into the area”, they said.

Declan O’Regan, who owns a penthouse suite at the nearby Harbour View complex, objected through Cahill O’Brien Associates who said “the proximity of the proposed tower will completely blank Mr O’Regan’s view of the city out some 11m away”.

“The view of the harbour and of Dublin city for many apartments will be blocked”, it said, adding that “the once sunny terraces will be overshadowed and lose their sense of privacy”.

A submission on behalf of Crofton Buildings Management CLG said residents of Harbour View, Harbour Court and Crofton Road were concerned that the height and scale of the scheme meant they would lose daylight amenity in their homes.