Dublin City Council's plans to proceed with the redevelopment of Fatima Mansions in Rialto have been approved by An Bord Pleanála, subject to any contaminated soil being removed from the site.
The appeals board was concerned with the issue of possible soil contamination as the site was formerly used for coal storage and later for the disposal of ash and clinker material prior to 1940, when construction started on the original flats complex.
This issue was the subject of correspondence between the board, the city council and the Environmental Protection Agency following the council's application for approval of its plans to demolish nine of the old blocks and replace them with 506 new apartments.
The proposed development of six blocks, ranging in height from three to seven storeys, also includes provision of two new streets, retail/ commercial/enterprise space, a swimming pool, gym, and neighbourhood centre including a creche and cafe.
An Bord Pleanála granted its approval having taken into account the run-down condition of the existing flats, the inner city location, the proximity of the Tallaght Luas line, the pattern of development in the vicinity and the provisions of the local area plan.
However, the first of nine conditions specified that any contaminated underlying soil from areas where excavation is required as part of the development works must be removed from the site and taken to a facility licensed to treat and/or dispose of such material.
It also laid down that a further investigation and risk assessment must be carried out in any areas where petroleum/hydrocarbon-type contamination is identified and should have regard to its potential for polluting the soil or groundwater in the immediate area.
"Infill material . . . shall be retained on site only if it has been demonstrated, following further investigations, that the material has not caused and is not likely to cause risk to human health or the diminution of the environmental quality of water or air," the board said.
In addition, a chemically resistant vapour barrier must be incorporated into the base level of all commercial, community and residential buildings, and all soft landscaped areas must have a capping layer of clean material of a minimum thickness of one metre.
An Bord Pleanála's approval for the redevelopment is also conditional on detailed codes of practice being drawn up by suitably qualified personnel to suppress dust and identify and treat toxic or dangerous substances in the existing buildings, such as asbestos compounds.
In other conditions, the board specified that 50 extra car parking spaces must be provided on the site "to limit injury to the residential amenities of properties on adjoining streets due to on-street parking arising from inadequate parking facilities within the development".
The layout must also be modified to prevent any direct vehicular linkage between the proposed new streets on the site and existing public roads serving Clarke Terrace and Colbert's Fort to the east - again, to protect the amenities of existing houses in the area.
