Bartra appeal nursing home and apartments decision in Cookstown

A DEVELOPER has stated that South Dublin County Council’s decision to refuse permission for a 131-bed nursing home and 139-unit apartment blocks as contributing to the housing crises.

Having originally been refused permission, plans to demolish industrial units in Cookstown Industrial estate for the proposed development have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

Developer Bartra Property Cookstown Limited said that the decision “underpins the continued issues and barriers which are ensuring the continuation of the housing crises”.

It believes that the nursing home, or “step down facility” as it is referred to, will have “multi-faceted benefits” in freeing up housing stock of larger family homes across Tallaght.

The applicant described itself as “one of the largest private developers of social housing in Ireland” in its appeal and believes that refusal will have a detrimental impact on social housing supply.

Bartra has also stated that it is not reliant on bank finance and is not “affiliated with a vulture fund”.

Plans, which are in relation to Unit 21, First Avenue in Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, includes the demolition of all existing commercial structures for a mixed-use development.

The development comprises of 139 apartments arranged into two blocks over five- to eight-storeys and a 131- bedspace nursing home arranged in one block over one- to five-storeys.

Apartments are comprised of 67 one-bed units and 72 two-bed units.

Proposals also include the provision of dining and kitchen areas, family and activity rooms, coffee dock, hair salon, oratory, ancillary office and staff space, changing facilities and reception areas.

There are plans for two commercial units at the ground floor level along Cookstown Road, where there is to be a new vehicular access point, and a pocket park (around 1,165sq.m).

Also included in the plans are 307 bicycle storage spaces, 42 car parking spaces and set-down parking spaces which include an ambulance spot for the nursing home.

Should the decision get the greenlight by the Board, the “fully funded” plans will be carried out in a single phase over a two-year period starting in early 2022.

The decision now lies with An Bord Pleanála (ABP), who deal with appeals to decisions made by local planning authorities.

There were a number of third-party submissions received by the planning authority, with Belgard Area Residents’ Association (BARA) and Tallaght Community Council (TCC) objecting to the plans.

TCC filed an objection on the grounds that the development is too dense, proposed parking and greenspace is “inadequate”, and queried plans for childcare and social infrastructure.

BARA took a similar line with their objection and added that the believed the housing mix of two-bed units “does not meet local need” and “will not accommodate many” families of four or more.

South Dublin County Council refused permission on a number of grounds, including that it “would be isolated development and would provide a poor standard of residential amenity”.

It stated that the plans would ultimately “undermine the regeneration priorities” set out in the Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan (LAP).

The development would not be in line with sustainable residential community in the area, failing to meet the local demand of three-bed units.

As set out in the LAP, there is a requirement to have 30 percent provision of three-bed units.

According to childcare guidelines and the LAP, there is a requirement for developments of this scale to have provision of childcare facilities – which this development did not.

The local planning authority outlined that due to the sequencing and phasing, intensity of the development, infrastructure, residential layout and amenities and public realm and water,it would refuse permission.

Bartra addressed all aspects of the refusal in its appeal.

It believes that due to the proposal’s use being a nursing home and one- and two-bed apartments, the “scheme does not lend itself to requiring an on-site private childcare facility”.