An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for the long-anticipated €400 million redevelopment of the O’Devaney Gardens site in Dublin.
The scheme by Richard Barrett’s Bartra is comprised of 1,047 residential units and includes 10 apartment blocks.
The units are made up of 1,024 apartments and 23 houses with the site located in the north west inner city, adjoining the residential area of Stoneybatter.
One of the apartments blocks is to reach 14 storeys in height with two others rising to 12 storeys.
After a deal struck between Bartra and Dublin City Council, half of the scheme is to be made up of social and affordable homes. The breakdown of the housing will be 30 per cent social housing, 20 per cent affordable and 50 per cent private housing.
Some 318 of the units will be 1 bed (30 per cent), 567 two bed (54 per cent) and 162 three bed units.
Elaine Power concluded the scheme is "unique" due to its location, scale and mix of tenure "and is critical and integral to the success of national policy in addressing both housing and homelessness in the city and consolidating the urban environment".
The Dublin City Development Plan allows building heights of up to 24 metres for the area and the 14 storey tower reaches to 46.8 metres in height. Four other blocks in the scheme also exceed the 24m height limit for the area.
However, Ms Power said the area can accommodate increased heights proposed and the number of units proposed will assist in achieving national policy objectives for significant housing delivery in an urban area with substantial amenities.
Ms Power concluded the material contravention of the city development plan concerning heights for the area is justified.
Bartra said in a statement it will begin preparations for construction before the end of the year and work would continue on site until 2025.
O’Devaney Gardens located close to the Phoenix Park in Dublin was built in the 1950s and was made up of 278 flats. The Council began moving tenants out some 17 years ago in preparation for the scheme’s demolition.
However, progress to redevelop the site has been hit by several setbacks since including builder Bernard McNamara pulling out of a public private partnership scheme in 2008 as the economy faltered.
By the time the deal had collapsed, most the flats had been emptied and the council decided to press ahead with the demolition.
