A property developer has been granted planning permission from Dublin City Council to build 241 apartments close to the Grand Canal, according to newly filed planning documents.
The plans will necessitate the demolition of commercial and warehouse buildings which are part of the White Heather industrial estate in Dolphin’s Barn, and has attracted opposition from nearby residents.
The application was submitted by Green Urban Logistics Three White Heather Propco Limited. Pan-European real-estate private-equity company Palm Capital is understood to be a big shareholder of Green Urban Logistics.
Green Urban Logistics had originally sought permission for 250 apartments across six blocks of up to seven storeys. This was cut back by nine units in an effort to reduce the height of the development and to “protect residential amenity” and a suitable height transition to the site.
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It originally proposed a mix of 12 studio apartments, 148 one-bed apartments, 74 two-bed apartments, and sixteen duplex apartments with an even spread of one- and two-bed units.
The approved development, in addition to 241 residential units, will also contain free spaces for residents, as well as a creche and a cafe which the council mandated would be accessible to the public.
The site is directly adjoined to a big An Post distribution centre. An An Post spokesman said the redevelopment will not have an impact on the centre and that its delivery service unit at White Heather “can remain and continue to operate irrespective of the development”.
Their building is one of two in the estate which will not be impacted, along with one of two Storage World buildings.
DTW Capital, the owner of Storage World, objected to the development, claiming that the applicants did not make an attempt to incorporate its business – which has long term leases for the two buildings – into the development.
On its behalf, BPS Planning asked the council to “consider whether, if Storage World were a supermarket, would [the council] allow the supermarket use to be extinguished from the site”. No, the letter concluded, pointing to an example in Dundrum.
Also on the boundary of the site is a row of homes along St James’ Terrace. The St James’s Terrace Residents’ Association wrote to the council to object to the development.
Representing the residents, Marston Planning said the development should be directed due to concerns of overlooking and overshadowing on their properties, contending it was a “repackaged version” of a previous, rejected application. The planners claimed the proposal was a “scheme of overdevelopment” and expressed “serious concerns” over its height.
A development contribution of €1.15 million will be paid by the developer to the council and a “public artwork of good quality” is required to be installed as part of the development.
A spokesperson for Palm Capital was unavailable for comment.
