Appeal lodged against the decision made on Suncroft House plans
By Hayden Moore
AN APPEAL has been lodged against the decision to refuse permission for the demolition of a bungalow and development of an apartment block and housing in Ballymount.
Derek McDonnell lodged plans for the demolition of the single-storey bungalow at Suncroft House to make way for four two-storey plus semi-detached houses and 2/3 storey apartment block last February.
Suncroft House on Ballymount Road
It is proposed that the 2/3 block on the Ballymount Road side of the site would contain one one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments including a shared lobby and bicycle store at ground level.
Where the site backs onto Ashfield Avenue, it is proposed that the four two-storey houses would scale to three floors when taking in the attic floor.
A re-positioned access point along with a new pedestrian gate to the apartments, bin store and central grass area with associated landscaping and lighting also make up the proposal.
A total of 43 third party submissions and a representation, which was hand-written by Cllr Charlie O’Connor, was received by South Dublin County Council.
Simply put, Cllr O’Connor said: “I wish to object to this application and support the local residents who are concerned.”
A submission from Kingswood Heights Residents’ Association (KHRA) detailed how the “development will seriously injure the residential amenity” through the “loss of privacy, overlooking and overshadowing”.
They believe that the apartment section of proposed development, reaching to three-storeys, contravenes the South Dublin County Development Plan pertaining to surrounding residential building height.
Another concern of the groups was how the “character and visual amenity of the site has been very significantly altered in advance of the application”, highlighting how the mature hedgrow around the boundary wall was “removed in its entirety”.
The hedgerow, which has been labelled as “mature habitat” by the residents, was allegedly removed in June 2016, which KHRA believe contravenes the Wildlife Act 1976.
“The loss of said vegetation from the sensitive boundaries greatly increases the visual impact and the significance of the impact on adjacent properties,” the submission from KHRA details.
This is something that Minister Colm Brophy TD picked up on, with him stating that developments “must be in keeping with the nature and character of the estate in which they are being built”.
According to Minister Brophy, there has been an ongoing conflict between local residents pertaining to the illegal erection of a fence and a “request for a deed of waiver for a piece of land at the end of the road on Ashfield Avenue”.
The Minister believes that “this issue is unresolved and causes deep concern to residents”.
The council refused the decision on May 17, with the applicant, Mr McDonnell making an appeal against the decision to An Bord Pleanala on June 14.
An Bord Pleanala is due to make a decision by October 18, 2021.
