20-storey apartment block at Foxhunter refused permission
By Aideen O'Flaherty
CONTENTIOUS plans for the construction of a 20-storey apartment block at the car park adjacent to the Foxhunter pub in Lucan, which attracted over 180 third-party submissions, have been refused planning permission by South Dublin County Council.
The planning application, which was lodged by Fox Connect Ltd in mid-October, was the subject of an online meeting held by local councillor Shane Moynihan last month, which over 100 residents attended to voice their concerns about the plans.
The site adjacent to the Foxhunter pub was refused permission for apartments
The plans included the development of four apartment blocks, one of which was to be a 20-storey above podium block, containing a total of 37 studio apartments, 42 one-bed apartments, eight two-bedroom, three person apartments, 70 two-bedroom, four person apartments, and four three-bed apartments.
The plans attracted 182 third-party submissions, with many people raising concerns about the density of the development, the impact it would have on surrounding properties, the fact that the subject site is zoned for retail warehouse development, and the negative impact it could have on traffic in the area.
Only one of the third-party submissions was in favour of the proposal, as they stated the development would bring “much needed residential development to a vacant site”, and that there is “a need to encourage” the delivery of high-rise residential buildings.
South Dublin County Council refused permission for the plans on December 9, stating that the proposed development was “a material contravention of the zoning objective of the site”, as it is zoned for retail warehouse use and not for residential development.
In their decision to refuse permission, the local authority said the development would be “visually obtrusive” and “adversely impact” on the visual amenity of the subject site, and that it would lead to “unacceptable levels of traffic congestion” in the area.
The Foxhunter closed its doors in 2012 and was put in the hands of receivers – five years after it was bought by Select Retail Holdings, a consortium that included property developer Bernard McNamara for about €17m.
After it closed in 2012, the property was in the hands of receiver Tom Kavanagh before being sold to Avoca in 2014. Last year, the former Foxhunter pub was sold for a price in the region of €3m.
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