Ballyboden Tidy Towns appeal developer’s retail unit changes
A TIDY Towns group has lodged an appeal against South Dublin County Council’s decision to grant permission for a developer seeking to modify an already permitted retail-unit which is part-constructed.
Ballyboden Tidy Towns is appealing the decision to greenlight the modifications to a retail unit which links to the White Pines residential development, at lands south of Stocking Avenue, Woodstown, to An Bord Pleanála (ABP).
The appeal, which is signed by Chairperson of Ballyboden Tidy Towns, Angela O’Donoghue, outlines the reasons for appealing across 16 points.
Plans are contrary to both the South Dublin County Development Plan, Planning Act, sustainable development and principles of proper planning according to the group.
The proposal is to modify the retail unit which is permitted under three previous planning applications by amending different aspects such as the internal layout and relocating several different items.
Ballyboden Tidy Towns believes that the “original grants . . . are flawed and invalid” and that this new application “seeking modifications to a flawed/invalid decision” should be refused.
The core of the appeal takes particular issue with the impact which the proposed development will have on the environment and surrounding biodiversity.
“We have concerns that the impact on the Woodstown Stream which is part of the Dodder catchment via the Owendoher and is hydrologically connected to a Natura 2000 site has not been assessed,” the appeal reads.
“The Woodstown Stream is a valuable ecological corridor, and this has not been appropriately assessed.”
Proposals are to relocate an Automatic Opening Vent to service a fire escape stairs and the addition of a lift overrun at mezzanine roof-level.
It includes amendments to permitted fenestration, elevations and façades which include an internal illuminated ‘signage zone’ and external ‘signage zone’ at the main entrance of the retail unit.
Relocating the trolley bay and ESB substation access doors along with allocating two permitted car-parking spaces as ‘click and collect’ and reconfiguring eight spaces to accommodate the trolley bay are included in the plans.
The site development works have no change to the quantum of car or cycle parking provided in the overall development on foot of the proposal.
The site is bounded by Stocking Avenue to the north, an internal road network associated with White Pines to the east and Stocking Wood residential scheme to the south and west.
South Dublin County Council granted permission for the proposed development on September 28.
Angela O’Donoghue on behalf of Ballyboden Tidy Towns appealed this decision on October 26, 2021.
An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the case by March 9, 2022.
