Sallynoggin development cut down to size

Local community campaigners have welcomed significant reductions to the scale and density of a mixed-use development in Sallynoggin/Glenageary which have been reduced by a third following a successful appeal to An Board Pleanála (ABP).

Keith Craddock’s Red Rock Glenageary had originally applied for permission to build a 9-storey high ‘Build to Rent’ development, at the site of the former Deerhunter pub at Glenageary Avenue.

This was refused by ABP in April 2022 after the proposal encountered strong local opposition.

Last December DLRCOCO granted permission for a revised scheme for a new ‘neighbourhood centre’ consisting of 138 apartments and commercial units, in blocks up to 7 storeys high.

DLRCOCO’s decision noted that while the

development exceeded the maximum height of four storeys specified in the County Development Plan, it also stated that the Sallynoggin street scape could accommodate taller buildings.

Local campaigner Nicola Coleman said this flew in the face of democracy and caused alarm right across the community, so the community decided to mount a collective appeal against the Council’s decision.

She said over 1600 people had signed a petition opposing the development and that a fundraiser financed the hiring of a professional planning consultant to represent them at the appeal.

Two Residents’ Associations also submitted appeals.

The ‘No Highrise’ campaign is celebrating their success as an Bord Pleanala have imposed a series of conditions that include reducing the overall height of the scheme to 5 storeys and the number of residential units to 95.

The board’s decision to grant permission is contingent on a grand total of conditions including one that increases the size of several apartments and eliminate others to provide larger areas of retail space.

Coleman says that this will improve the standard of living space in the development for future occupants.

Ms Coleman also said that from the outset people were horrified by the size and scale of Red Rocks proposals which originally sought to “plonk a 9-storey block in a neighbourhood of small single storey cottages and modest two storey family homes.”

“The fact that overall height and density has been reduced by a third is a relief,” she told Southside People.

“However, we have 8 weeks to fully consider the implications of ABP’s decision and we are not yet closing the door on other options.

“Our Community fought hard to be heard in a system that favours developer led planning and prioritises investors interests over the community.”

She said that while ABP’s modifications are welcome, what they really want is social and affordable homes, real useful neighbourhood facilities, safe streets and roads and planning that involves the community in the process.

“People are wise to the fact that the current system has failed on those fronts and that a complete U turn is required in current housing policy,” Coleman said.

“We will continue to fight for housing policy that is focused on building homes and neighbourhoods instead of assets for shareholders.

She said that DLRCoCo are failing to meet their statutory obligations and that Sallynoggin still does not have a Local Area Plan and that the Council must initiate the process to develop one as a matter of urgency. This is an election issue for our neighbourhood.

Ms Coleman says that the site of the development is at busy junction and the route of many children take to school, pensioners go to the post office and is adjacent to a special needs school needs school but that despite this are no effective traffic calming measures, no enforcement of speed limits and in tandem plans to divert even more traffic to the neighbourhood.

Adding construction traffic to this is causing much concern.

She said there have been several serious accidents in recent weeks, and the local community remain concerned about the potential dangers posed by a development of this size in the absence of a proper traffic management plan.

ABP’s decision imposes a number of conditions in the interest of sustainable transportation, and traffic and pedestrian safety that are to be submitted to and agreed in writing with DLRCoCo and that any matters of dispute shall be referred back to An Bord Pleanala for determination.

Ms Coleman said that she was pleased to see An Bord Pleanala include a condition that challenges a legal covenant that sought to exclude retail and shop uses from the site.

An Bord Pleanala’s decision to grant permission includes a condition stating that the use of retail units “shall be within the definition of ‘shop’ in the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001”.

Coleman cites notes from preplanning meetings between An Bord Pleanala and Red Rock that took place on the 14th of May 2021 in relation to application for the original development, recording Keith Craddock’s side commenting that “Retail and Shop uses are not allowed on this site due to a legal covenant”.

The same minutes show An Bord Pleanala say that – “Private/civil legal covenants agreements do not absolve a landowner of responsibilities arising from policies and objectives of statutory plans or other statutory planning policy documents”.

Ms Coleman said that the potential amenities should not be restricted by legal covenants and that the community of Sallynoggin and Glenageary deserve a neighbourhood centre with a variety of shops and retail outlets that give people choice.

She says that the ABP condition is welcome and “should prevent any potential corporate NIMBY-ism.”

Land Registry records (Táilte) indicate that Red Rock purchased the site from previous owners, German supermarket Lidl.

The developer relies on a letter of consent from Lidl to provide a surface water connection as well as other works related matters.

Telecommunication aerials and antennae are also prohibited unless authorised by a grant of further planning permission.