Plans for large development on old Blackrock College land filed with ABP

Plans have been lodged to An Bord Pleanala for the development of a 244-unit built-to-rent apartment complex on lands formerly owned by Blackrock College on Cross Avenue.

Submitted by Lioncor Developments, the plans were filed under the controversial Strategic Housing Development act (SHD) which allows for planning applications that are in excess of 100 residential units be lodged directly to An Bord Pleanala (ABP), skipping the local county council.

The development would reach up to nine storeys in heigh and consist of 122 one-bed apartments, 100 two-bed apartments, 18 studios and four three-bed units in three buildings.

The land lies adjacent to the Blackrock College, a private boys secondary school.

The scheme is to include facilities such as a café, a co-working area, meeting areas, a pet wash, a fitness area and a residents lounge.

The scheme also includes 71 car parking spaces in the basement, and 479 bicycle parking spaces.

Lioncor also filed documents with its application explaining why planning permission should be granted despite the plans contravening the local development plan.

The property developer purchased the Cross Avenue land last year for a reported €16m, beating off stiff competition from other developers.

It is understood that the Holy Ghost/Spiritan congregation, which manages Blackrock College, were the benefactors of the sale.

This is the second time that Lioncor has applied for permission to develop the site.

Earlier this year its plans to develop 311 build-to-rent apartments in blocks reaching 12 storeys in height was rejected by An Bord Pleanala.

The planning authority said that the proposal did not comply with local planning and development policy and would have to be amended before it could be considered.

It is also understood that Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council rejected from an offer from Lioncor to lease 25 of the apartments over 25 years for the provision of social housing.

Under Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 10% of all new developments must be assigned to social housing.

However, the offer made to the council amounted to €4m more than the price of purchasing the apartments outright.

The leasing of the apartments would cost DLRCoCo around €17m compared to the €13m price tag to buy the units.

In a letter to Lioncor, the council’s housing department said due to the high market rents, the offer “is not capable of complying with Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the County Development Plan and the Housing Strategy”.

It said that “other available compliance options will be considered should planning permission be obtained.”