An Bord Pleanala has finally sealed the fate of a prominently located site overlooking Lucan, in west Dublin, by approving plans for a controversial housing scheme, largely on zoning grounds.
The 72-acre site at Laraghcon, which lies immediately north of the Liffey in Fingal County Council's administrative area, had been rezoned by councillors in 1993, against the advice of planning officials and in the teeth of opposition from residents of the area.
Although the planners warned that any housing built at Laraghcon would intrude on the Liffey valley, a rezoning motion tabled by four Castleknock councillors - Mr Sean Lyons, Mr Tom Morrissey, Mr Ned Ryan and Ms Sheila Terry - was adopted by 36 votes to 21.
Just two weeks after calling unanimously for a study to extend the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area from Lucan to Leixlip, the former Dublin County Council voted down by a similar margin two motions that would have protected Laraghcon.
At the time, most of the 85acre parcel of land was owned by a businessman. He subsequently sold his 72-acre holding to Shannon Homes, which has been seeking to develop it ever since.
Earlier last year, despite its residential zoning in the Fingal county plan, An Bord Pleanala refused permission for housing at Laraghcon.
Last July a subsequent decision by Fingal County Council to grant permission for the development of 282 houses and a new distributor road at Laraghcon was appealed by the Strawberry Beds Residents' Association on amenity and traffic grounds.
Having spent more than a year considering the issues, An Bord Pleanala has now decided to approve the housing scheme, subject to 20 conditions, having regard to the zoning provisions of the current Fingal county development plan for the area.
The board said its decision to grant permission also took into account a review of the Special Amenity Area Order for the Liffey Valley, the layout of the proposed development and the extent and disposition of public open space provided on the site.
Subject to compliance with its conditions, the board said, the latest scheme would not seriously injure the visual amenities of the area, was acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience and would be in accordance with proper planning.
Among the main conditions laid down by the board were that no work would start on any of the houses until the new district distributor road had been completed to the satisfaction of Fingal County Council.
To reduce visibility of the housing in this elevated location, the board's ruling specifies that all external finishes are to be light-absorbent and all service cables and overhead power lines are to be run underground, at the developer's expense.
A landscaping scheme is required as well as an accurate tree survey. Shannon Homes must also pay £432,000 to the county council as a contribution towards the cost of providing public services that facilitate the proposed development.
