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Locals appeal plan for 47 homes at Dalkey school:A proposal by a fee-paying school in Dalkey, Co Dublin to build a residential development on its grounds has been opposed by locals.

Castle Park school was granted permission by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in December for 47 houses and apartments on a 3.7-acre part of the school grounds behind Mackey's Garden Centre.

However, a number of local groups and individuals - including Dalkey Community Council, Castlelands Residents Association and the residents of Castle Close - have appealed the planning permission to An Bord Pleanála.The school has sold off portions of its landholding at Castlepark Road for residential development over the years.

In the case of the current proposal, it is believed the school struck a deal to develop the lands with a consortium of developers, including David Arnold, for around €10 million subject to planning permission. The proceeds are to contribute towards a redevelopment of the school which involves new teaching and sporting facilities.

In its letter to the planning board, Dalkey Community Council says the four to five-storey height of one of the residential buildings proposed is out of character with the surrounding architecture and will cause overlooking of houses in Castleclose.

Increased traffic on Castlepark Road is also an issue and it says a residential development would compromise the setting of the school, where the woodlands are an integral part of the landscape.

In 2006 the school was refused permission for 81 residential units on the site by An Bord Pleanála board who said the height, layout and scale of the development would seriously injure adjacent houses.

New golf club house at 437-acre Skerries demesne

A subsidiary of Treasury Holdings has been given the green light by Fingal County Council to change part of a major tourism development at the 437-acre Milverton Demesne in Skerries, Co Dublin.

The developer has been granted a change of use for Home Farm House on the grounds of the demesne from the previously permitted equestrian centre to a golf club house. It has also got approval to realign 200 metres of a local road running from east of the entrance of the house to the junction of the Balcunnin to Blackhills Road at St Mobhi's Well. The golf course at Home Farm will also be extended by 29 acres.

Also in north Co Dublin, Balscadden Developments Ltd has been granted permission for a development of 181 houses and apartments at Flemington Lane in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

This will comprise a mix of apartments and two, three and four-bed terraced, semi-detached and detached houses.