Over 1000 people sign petition opposing Monkstown Build to Rent

OVER 1000 people have signed a petition opposing real estate giant Greystar’s plans for an LRD development in Monkstown Village.

Supporters of the No High-rise Monkstown Campaign gathered outside County Hall in Dun Laoghaire last Thursday afternoon (26th) and delivered the petition to CEO Frank Curran.

GEDV Monkstown Owner Ltd, a subsidiary of American developer Greystar, has applied for permission to develop a build-to-rent scheme consisting of 11 blocks of apartments up to 9 stories high on the grounds of historic Dalguise House.

Among the signatories are Douglas Barry, Chair of the Monkstown Road Residents Association, musician Christy Moore, Flossie and the Beach Cleaners, Richard Boyd Barret TD, and Robin Mandel of the Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance.

In addition to the petition, seventy observations were submitted to the Local Authority.

Some of the supporters of the No High-rise Monkstown Campaign pictured outside County Hall in Dun Laoghaire last Thursday afternoon. Picture credit: No High-Rise Monkstown Campaign.

Nicola Coleman, who organised the petition, described the campaign to Southside People as “a voice to people unaware of the plans” and that their participation “shows how strongly they feel about protecting local ecology, biodiversity, and heritage.”

What’s more, she said the campaign underscores how the nation is on ‘a slippery slope of excessive build-to-rent development’ as well as the dangers of continuing to allow tenant wealth passing so easily to shareholders.

One petitioner added that “we need to protect our green spaces. We do not need high-rise build to rent property development. We need affordable housing.”

Another stated that “Dalguise should not be allowed to be savaged by strangers pitching for their sacred bags of gold.”

Addressing the crowd that gathered on Thursday, Coleman acknowledged the high number of people opposed to the development.

She pointed out that the Dalguise House grounds are roughly the same size as Merrion Square and boast over two hundred mature trees.

Her comments echoed the sense of horror opponents to the plan feel when considering that corporate shareholders are seeking to replace them with nearly a dozen blocks of build-to-rent units.

She said build-to-rent development is not a solution to the housing needs of Ireland’s people and that such developments are prime examples of how our future housing stock is being corporatized because of government policy.

Coleman cited a 2021 report by BNP Paribas that 4,900 Irish residential properties were bulk purchased by funds that paid on average 32 percent in excess of the market rate, pricing ordinary people out of the housing market.

Greystar, an American real-estate entity whose CEO Bob Faith served as an economic advisor to president Trump, are targeting European rental properties with a €1.5 billion fund. Greystar have already purchased two developments in Ireland (Dublin Landings in the Docklands and Griffith Woods in Drumcondra.) Dalguise, if given the go-ahead, would be their first ground up development.

Coleman reminded gatherers that campaigns like No High Rise are the frontline against the corporatization of Ireland’s housing stock and the threat companies like Greystar pose to our heritage and environmental integrity. Such campaigns also play an essential role in ensuring Ireland delivers proper solutions to the housing crisis.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are yet to make a decision on Greystar’s application.