South Dublin residents are contesting plans by Orchid Homes to construct a 212 student bed-space scheme for the Vector Motors site at Goatstown in Dublin 14.
Three separate third party appeals have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s decision to give the scheme the go-ahead.
The originally planned 220 bedspace student scheme was to be accommodated in a six storey building and Orchid Homes told the appeals board that the scheme provides a high quality, much needed student accommodation proximate to UCD.
In its grant of permission, the council ordered the omission of eight bed-spaces from the 5th floor.
Appellants and local residents, John and Oksana Cronin have told the board that “addressing housing issues should not come at the cost of the quality of life for existing residents”.
They state that “this project is not even about solving a housing crisis – it is purely driven by profit”.
They further state: “If this new six storey building is allowed to be constructed in front of our windows – no more sky, no more sunlight, no more birds flying by as that would block the skyline.”
Other third party appeals have been lodged by Gary McIlroy and Trimbleston Owners Management CLG, while Orchid Residential Ltd – which is co-owned by Max O’Reilly Hyland – has lodged a first party appeal against a financial contribution.
In the Trimbleston Owners Management CLG appeal drawn up by BPS Planning and Development Consultants, it claims that the proposal would comprise a dominant and visually incongruous scheme due to its height, scale, design and massing.
The appeal states that the impacts on Trimbleston would be visual overbearing and loss of privacy.
According to MD of BPS Planning and Development Consultants, Brendan Buck, the proposed would seriously injure the amenities or depreciate the value of property in the area.
Mr Buck claims that “the quantum of development shoehorned into the applicant site is excessive”.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council’s grant of permission followed An Bord Pleanála only in January of this year refusing planning permission to Orchid Residential Ltd for a Strategic Housing Development (SHD) for 221 student bed spaces at the same site.
The SHD plans were first lodged in April 2022 and appeals board refused planning permission for that proposal as it would not be satisfied that the proposal would not adversely impact on daylight levels within existing properties immediately adjoining the application site.
In the first party appeal, Orchid Residential Ltd is contesting a planning condition by the Council requiring the applicants to pay €389,587 in respect of a shortfall in public open space.
