New Planning Application at the Bakery Site

5 March 2007

by Cllr Joe Costello

Stateford have lodged a new planning application for the Bakery Site, Cross Guns Bridge on 16th February 2007.
The main features of the application are as follows:
The demolition of all structures on the site and their replacement with four buildings comprising 213 residential units, a shop, a juice bar, gymnasium and crèche/childcare facility and basement car-park

207 of the residential units will be contained within two buildings ranging in height from 6 to 13 storeys
The breakdown of the accommodation units are as follows:
25 one-bedroom apartments, 18 one-bedroom live/work units
91 two bedroom apartments , 2 two bedroom live work units
71 three bedroom apartments
A basement car-park comprising 281 car-parking spaces and 226 cycle spaces with vehicular access off Phibsborough Road
§ A gymnasium to be located in the basement
§ The third building will comprise 6 two storey town-houses
§ The fourth building will contain a childcare facility

A previous application for a similar development with 213 apartments and six town houses was submitted in July 2006. This was refused permission by Dublin City Council on the grounds that

1. The proposal "would result in a unacceptable congested form of urban residential infill that would be seriously injurious to the both the residential amenity of the immediate adjoining residential development and the amenity value of the proposed residential units themselves"

2. Issues relating to the internal layout of the apartments such as the small number of family sized three bedroom units and the high proportion of single aspect units, which would "constitute a sub-standard form of residential development.

3. The lack of open space provision and in particular "the absence of any meaningful open space provision on site, communal or dedicated, to serve a majority of the units, would constitute a sub-standard form of residential development, would be contrary to the Dublin City Development Plan"

The Planner concluded that for these three reasons the previous proposal "would set an undesirable precedent for similar such developments, and as such would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area." Following the DCC decision, Stateford lodged an appeal to An Bord Pleanala and then subsequently withdrew the appeal.

Objections must be lodged with Dublin City Council by Thursday 22nd March, 2007 and should be accompanied by a fee of €20. The full planning application may be inspected at Dublin City Council Offices, Wood Quay Dublin 8 from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. The planning Counter is open through lunchtime.

I will be arranging for representatives from the local residents associations to attend a planning information meeting to assist them prepare a submission in relation to the current application.