Donabate group slams apartment proposal

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build more than 1,000 apartments in Donabate are being opposed because the area is straining to cope with its existing population levels.

This is according to Donabate Portrane Community Council who have blasted the plans as “totally inappropriate.”

The developer Cannon Kirk has lodged an application directly to An Bord Pleanála to build 1,368 housing units at the Corballis East site in Donabate.

Under the strategic housing development scheme, the company, through the entity Aledo Donabate, want to fast-track the €460m residential project.

A Strategic Housing Development application is a means of fast-tracking planning permission without the need to apply to the local authority.

This mechanism applies to developments over 100 units.

At the start of this month, following the Pre-Application Consultation, An Bord Pleanála decided the documents submitted at pre-application stage by Aledo constituted a “reasonable basis for an application”.

The Strategic Housing Development application describes the application as consisting of 353 houses and 1,015 apartments, three childcare facilities and associated site works.

The units will be split into 594 one-and two-bedroom apartments; 46 sheltered accommodation apartments; 352 duplex units; and 376 two to three and four-bedroom houses.

If given the go-ahead Cannon Kirk will seek planning permission for seven years.

Other planned amenities include a 24-unit primary school and a 300 sq m retail space.

The site for the proposed development goes from the rear of Smyth’s pub down to the Broadmeadow Estuary.

In a statement, Donabate Portrane Community Council explained why they are fiercely opposed to the planned development.

“Even 600 apartments, leaving aside the duplexes, is far too many for a village that continues to suffer from chronic infrastructural deficits,” the local community group said.

“There is no Garda station, an already congested rail service, inadequate retail options, few community facilities and a bypass that was built at half the capacity of the planning permission granted for it.

“The application, if it succeeds, could mean an additional 3,000 people living in an area straining to cope with its existing population levels.”

As well as the housing units, a 37-acre nature park forms a large section of Cannon Kirk’s proposed development and would provide a green link to Donabate railway station.

Back in January of this year, An Bord Pleanala reversed a decision by Fingal County Council to grant permission for works associated with the proposed Cannon Kirk development.

Donabate Portrane Community Council appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The Community Council argued that the proposed development would cause serious damage to the Malahide and Rogerstown Special Areas of Conservation.

and the protected bird species that reside there.

The sites are protected under European regulations.

In overturning the planning permission granted by Fingal County Council, and granting the appeal of Donabate Portrane Community Council, An Bord Pleanála found that it could not be satisfied that the construction of this proposed development would not adversely impact on the integrity of the protected Special Areas of Conservation.

An Bord Pleanála noted that there are significant numbers of wintering birds using the lands impacted.

Delivering its’ decision, An Bord Pleanála said:

“The Board cannot determine the significance of the potential disturbance and displacement impacts of construction activity within the proposed Nature Park on such species with sufficient certainty and accordingly, the Board cannot be satisfied, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, that the proposed development, either individually or in combination with other plans and projects, would not adversely affect the integrity of these European sites in view of the sites’ conservation objectives.”