New residential plan for former Smurfit

DUBLIN City Council is considering a new proposal for over 130 new homes at the former Smurfit site on Botanic Road.

Plans have been lodged for a residential scheme along with a café, a childcare facility and ancillary development above and below ground.

The homes proposed for the site, which adjoins the rear of properties on Iona Road and Iona Park, include 43 family houses on the south and east boundaries.

These will be made up of 16 five-bed, seven four-bed and 20 three-bed two-storey dormer houses ranging in size from 212 sq mts to 163 sq mts.

One of the bedrooms in each of the homes will be converted from attic space but buyers purchasing off the plans can opt not to convert.

The development will also have 76 apartments and 12 duplexes in four blocks at the centre of the site and along its north and west boundaries.

There will be three four-storey blocks providing a mix of 17 one bed, 42 two bed and 17 three bed units as well as another block with six three-bed and six two-bed duplex apartments in a five-bay, four-storey terrace.

The proposed development will have a licenced retail café at the site entrance from Botanic Road and a basement car park for 52 cars and 54 bicycles.

Last year a similar application from UK development firm, Westhill Atlantic, for 147 homes and apartments on the site was rejected by Dublin City Council. 

The company is behind the new application under the name IDV Developments, which bought the derelict site in 2013. The site was occupied until around 2007 by the former Smurfit Print plant, which closed in 2001.

Smurfit bought the plant in the early ‘70s from Iona Print and the site had been a printing plant for almost two centuries.

Four years ago locals put forward proposals to transform the site into allotments or a community garden but plans never got beyond discussion stages.

The closing date for observations on the new application is October 25.