Community group bring legal challenge against development
By Maurice Garvey
A COMMUNITY group has brought a legal challenge aimed at overturning permission for a development of 496 apartments in Ballyboden.
The action by Ballyboden Tidy Towns group is in relation to An Bord Pleanála’s permission for the development at a site on Taylors Lane and Edmondstown Road.
The site in Ballyboden
As previously reported in The Echo, over 300 Ballyboden residents, spearheaded by the Ballyboden Tidy Towns group, joined together to submit a joint objection to developer Shannon Homes’ plans for the development.
A number of issues raised by objectors include concerns about the removal of trees and recreational amenities, and potential impact on traffic and public transport in the locality.
At the time of the decision by the Board, Angela O’Donoghue, chairperson of Ballyboden Tidy Towns and a member of the Glendoher and District Residents’ Association, called it a “disastrous decision” for the area.
“An Bord Pleanála haven’t just ignored us and the opinion of South Dublin County Council – they’ve emphatically rejected it,” said Ms O’Donoghue.
The planning notice at the entrance
The planning application lodged under the fast-track planning system last May, contains plans for apartments to be housed across three apartment blocks, ranging from two- to seven-storeys in height.
Mr Justice Richard Humphreys granted leave last week for the judicial review proceedings and admitted the case to the court’s Strategic Infrastructure Development list, dealing with cases concerning strategic housing planning applications made directly to the board.
Having been told the group is concerned about preparatory works involving the felling of trees, the judge granted a stay on works pending the conclusion of the proceedings.
The case will return in the next week.
The proceedings are against the board: the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Attorney General with Shannon Homes and South Dublin County Council as notice parties.
The subject site was formerly owned by the Augustinians, and the religious order sold the 8.6-acre site to Shannon Homes for a reported €20m last year.
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