Clontarf proposal ‘overdevelopment’ of site, say city councillors

Dublin City Councillors have voiced their concerns about the proposed 131 build-to-rent apartment scheme in Clontarf.

Being progressed by Savona, the development is earmarked for the green space located between Dollymount Park, St Gabriel’s Road, Seafield Road and Redcourt Oaks.

Due to the size of the scheme, the application has been filed with An Bord Pleanala as a Strategic Housing Development (SHD), skipping the authority of the local authority.

The development will consist of 16 studio apartments, 34 one-beds, 73-two beds and eight three-bed units as well as communal spaces, a gym and 81 car parking spaces.

However, similar applications to the develop on the site have been rejected by An Bord Pleanala four previous times.

Local elected representatives cited various issues with the development and the impact it would have on nearby residents.

Fianna Fail councillor Deirdre Heney said that residents “are upset by the height and density of the scheme.

“Not to mention the build-to-rent aspect of it.”

Catherine Stocker, a Social Democrats councillor for the area said that there “definite issues” about the proximity of the apartments to the houses and how it will overlook the community.

“Will they be intruding in anyway on the existing homes?,” she asked.

Stocker also raised the issue of the build-to-rent facet of the project saying that the “upcoming 2022 Development Plan will contain strict rules on how and when build-to-rent can be developed.

“This leads me to believe that if this was to be applied for in a years or two time, it would not be given the go-ahead.

Executive Planner for council Naoise McDonnell said that the apartments will be located less than 30 metres away from the nearest house and 300 metres away from the sea at Bull Island – potentially causing a flood hazard.

“A number of residents have made submissions about flooding and drainage – there were floods in 2004, 2011 and August 2021,” said Stocker.

McDonagh said the development is “very close to Bull Island and the nature reserve” and may affect the protected birds that nest there but “the developer will say that it will not have a negative impact on the bird life in the vicinity.”

Wildlife living on the site may be affected too, says Stocker saying that a protected badger species currently lives on the land.

“Badgers are protected and developers have plan to mitigate the problem by moving them to the back of the site

“I can’t actually believe that moving them to the back of the site, regardless of how sensitively its done, will not disturb them and potentially destroy their habitat,” she says.

“Residents feel strongly that this is an overdevelopment of the site”

A decision by An Bord Pleanala on the proposal is due to be made on January 6, 2022.