An artist impression of the plans for Bruce House on the Main Road in Tallaght Village
Concerns raised over apartment block height and sustainability at Bruce House
Major concerns have been raised over the height and suitability of a planned apartment building in Tallaght Village.
Plans were lodged earlier this year for 38 apartments on the Main Road in Tallaght Village at the site known as Bruce House, where a Bank of Ireland branch was located for many years.
However, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) have now asked the developers, Irish Residential Properties REIT PLC, to incorporate several amendments to the proposed development, including reducing its height, and to make 30% of the proposed units into three-bed apartments.
In their Request for Additional Information, SDCC asked the developers to reduce the height of the building from six storeys to five, and to set the building further back on the site, to bring it more in line with the existing adjoining buildings on Tallaght’s Main Road.
They have also asked that the floor plans be revised so to show 30% of the 38 proposed units (four one-bed and 34 two-bed) as three-bed units, “in line with the County Development Plan and the Local Area Plan”, or else to show “robust justification” as to why this requirement should be set aside.
Amendments were also requested regarding the finish and render of the building, to better assimilate it with existing buildings on the Main Road, and to “avoid negatively impacting the future development potential” of another adjoining site.
Several concerns were raised during the planning application process from local residents who were concerned about the proposed impact of the building on their existing residential amenity levels.
Tallaght Community Council raised the issue of the height of the building and also suggested the need for the ground floor to be outfitted as a cultural, commercial or recreational unit “to nurture village vibrancy”.
Residents in the adjacent Priorsgate apartment complex raised issues such the proposed location of temporary sanitation facilities during the construction period.
According to the plans submitted, these would be located on a narrow strip close to Block 3 of Priorsgate.
In their submissions, residents said to locate “sanitary facilities in front of residents’ patios for two years is inhumane”.
Irish Residential Properties REIT PLC now have six months to submit all additional information requested by SDCC for their planning application to be considered.
