Council receives 230 objections to north Dublin apartment scheme

Project at site near St Anne’s Park in Raheny includes 580 residential units and a nursing home

Dublin City Council has received more than 230 objections to plans for 580 apartments planned for a site near St Anne’s Park in Raheny, north Dublin.

Last month the Marlet Group lodged fresh plans with the council for the project. The plan also includes a 100-bed nursing home in the development on 16.5 acres to the east of St Paul’s College at Sybil Hill.

The High Court last year overturned planning permission for 657 dwellings on the site.

The new scheme by Marlet subsidiary Raheny 3 Ltd Partnership comprises seven apartment blocks, ranging in height from four to seven storeys. It has been lodged with Dublin City Council as a large-scale residential development.

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The scheme is made up of 272 one-bed units, 15 two-bed three-person units, 233 two-bed four-person units and 60 three-bed units.

Planning documents lodged with the application said the proposal was consistent with the Government’s new Housing for All plan and would provide 580 high-quality homes on former institutional lands, “which are ideally placed to accommodate residential development on lands zoned for residential development in line with the specific zoning requirement”.

Some of those to lodge objections include Dublin TDs Seán Haughey of Fianna Fáil and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of the Labour Party.

In his objection, Mr Haughey said he was “strongly opposed” to the scheme.

As part of a comprehensive submission, the Dublin Bay North deputy also highlighted biodiversity concerns in relation to the scheme, stating that “of particular concern is the impact this proposed development will have on the light-bellied Brent Goose”.

“They are protected birds and the development will certainly impact on them. The long-term loss of this feeding ground is a big consideration and not enough is known at this stage as to the consequence of such a loss,” Mr Haughey said.

In his objection, Mr Ó Ríordáin said this was “the latest in a series of planning applications made in respect of these lands going back to 2015″.

“The fact that no application has been successful to this point should inform the council when making its decision,” he said.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times