Blanchardstown retailers appeal apartment plans

CONTENTIOUS plans to build more than 900 apartments on a site at Blanchardstown Centre are being opposed by some of the shopping centre’s biggest retailers.

Last month, the owner of the Blanchardstown Centre, Goldman Sachs, secured planning permission for a 971 unit apartment scheme for the retail site.

The proposed mixed-use housing development includes 117 studio apartments, 368 one-bed apartments, 422-two bed apartments and 64-three bed apartments.

The development will also include a childcare facility and seven commercial units suitable for a shop, offices, gym, café or restaurant.

This followed Fingal County Council granting a 10-year planning permission to Blanche Retail Nominee Ltd despite very strong opposition from a number of well-known retail brands who operate from Blanchardstown Centre.

The mixed use scheme will comprise seven apartment blocks with one rising to 16 storeys in height and also includes seven commercial units, a community facility, a place of worship and a childcare facility.

The applicants are also proposing to sell 97 units for social housing to Fingal County Council for €44.9 million.

However, some of the centre’s biggest retailers, Harvey Norman, Smyths, TK Maxx, Lifestyle Sports, Homestore & More and Woodies are all opposed to the developers plans for the 971 apartment building within the shopping centre bounds and have lodged appeals with An Bord Pleanála.

The common reason given by the retailers for their appeals was a fear among them that the planned development will reduce the amount of car parking spaces available which could have a negative knock-on effect on their businesses.

At the moment, there are 1,817 parking spaces available but this number will be reduced by 525 once the development is finished.

In their appeal, Lifestyle Sports said there was “alarm at the proposed reduction in customer car parking spaces”.

TK Maxx are fearful of the potential for impact upon their commercial operations, “mainly arising from the loss of car parking, alterations to access arrangements and disruption during the construction phase”.

Smyths Toys said the development “should not be permitted to proceed until such a time as a significant and vast reduction in the scale of the development is undertaken.”

Homestore & More said they believe that the development “would give rise to a deleterious impact on trade and the ability to operate the retail outlets at their present level”.

Among the non-retailer appellants are Cllr John Walsh (Lab), a resident, Glen Conroy from Hillbrook Woods, Dublin 15 and the Whitestown Residents.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the appeal at the end of May.