Council rejects Bartra’s revised plan for Bullock Harbour

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has refused Bartra planning permission for a mixed-use scheme at Bullock Harbour.

The decision is the latest setback for Bartra which wishes to demolish and clear the existing industrial single-storey warehouses and sheds.

The proposal also included the construction of a three-storey building incorporating a cafe and one four-bedroom apartment, a single-storey seafood sales outlet, four fishermen’s huts, a new public square and three three-storey detached houses.

This plan is a revised proposal from its old, more extensive scheme which originally received planning permission from An Bord Pleanala in 2019.

However, a local campaign group filed for a judicial review of ABP’s decision and the planning authority withdrew from the case before it could be heard, effectively voiding the approval.

The Bullock Harbour Preservation Association, a group of local residents which has been fighting against the development of the harbour since Bartra’s plans first came to light in 2018, says it welcomes the council’s ruling.

“BHPA warmly welcomes this decision and wishes to thank all those who lodged observations on Bartra plans yet again,” it says.

It is understood that 140 submission objecting to the development were lodged with DLRCoCo.

A report released by the council says permission was rejected on a number of grounds, which includes how the location is “potentially liable to flood events and significant wave overtopping,” according to the 2016 -2022 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

“The proposed development has not included adequate measures to minimise flood risk, and has not included adequate measures to ensure that residual risks to the area and/or development can be managed to an acceptable level.

“The other three reasons cover the predominance of residential over marine related uses, lack of integrated design incorporating waterfront harbour facilities, and the failure to respond to the special character of this harbour site,” it said.

It also said that the “amount of site area reserved for residential use is excessive and seriously compromises the achievement of a quality mixed use and integrated development.

“It is therefore considered that the development as proposed would seriously compromise the harbour’s ability to attract and maintain good marine related uses and harbour activities, would limit the scale and diversity of such uses, which the harbour could support.

“The planning authority therefore considers that the development as proposed would be contrary to the zoning objective for this location of providing for waterfront development and marine related uses,” the council said.

Newstalk broadcaster and local resident Pat Kenny, who has been a vocal critic of the scheme, said last week that the council’s decision “reflects a common-sense approach, as had been advocated by many of the objectors.

“Hopefully, if it is appealed to An Bord Pleanála, the board will concur with the council’s conclusions.

In a joint statement released with his wife, Kathy, the couple said the council’s refusal “might serve as a timely warning to those who buy difficult sites on spec and attempt to get planning for inappropriate development”.

Bartra now has the option to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The company did not reply for comment on the council’s decision by the time of publication.