The Dublin building where James Joyce’s short story The Dead was set is to be converted into apartments.
Brimwood UC, a firm owned by former Monaghan senior football manager, Séamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney, has secured planning permission to turn 15 Usher’s Island in Dublin 8 into apartments
Dublin City Council granted permission after Brimwood, on foot of concerns expressed by the council, reduced the number of units proposed from 10 to six to “protect the residential amenity of future residents” in the revamped building.
The 10-page planner’s report which recommended that planning permission be granted concluded “the proposed development would not seriously injure the residential amenities of neighbouring dwellings or the amenities of the area”.
Last month, in revised plans lodged, Brimwood reduced the number of units to seven and in the council planner’s report, it stated that “the revisions are largely positive”.
However, it recommended the omission of a further apartment by amalgamating units three and four at first floor level into one apartment.
The council report said that this would “facilitate the potential to provide a high quality two-bedroom unit which shall ensure that the development shall be aligned with a conservation-led approach in conserving the building’s architectural, artistic and cultural special interest”.
In response to the original 10-apartment scheme lodged, An Taisce contended that the building was “of too great a cultural heritage importance for conversion to multiple apartments”.
Trump’s tariffs: “The rest of the world is now going to de-risk from the United States”
Along with the An Taisce submission, a submission by Zoe O’Beimhen, accompanied by a petition signed by 1,675 people, had called on the council to refuse planning permission.
As part of one of the conditions attached to the planning permission, the council ruled that all works should be carried out in accordance with best conservation practice and any repair works should retain the maximum amount of surviving historic fabric in situ.
The council said that this condition was a requirement in order to protect the amenity, setting and curtilage of the protected structure at 15 Usher’s Island, and to ensure that the proposed works were carried out in accordance with best conservation practice.
Planning consultant Kevin Hughes, on behalf of Brimwood, said the amalgamation improved the overall quality of the units, ensuring compliance with the Dublin city development plan and ministerial guidelines.
