A new artist impression of Bruce House development comparing the height of the building with existing and potential future developments
Developers defend height of apartment block in village
Developers have defended the height of a planned apartment building at the Bruce House site after the council asked them to reduce it by a storey.
Irish Residential Properties REIT PLC submitted a planning application last year for 38 apartments (four one-bed and 34 two-bed) on the former Bank of Ireland location on Main Street in Tallaght Village.
In a Further Information request in May 2025, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) have asked the developers to incorporate several amendments to the proposed development, including reducing the height of the building from six storeys to five to bring it more in line with surrounding buildings.
A report compiled by planners for Irish Residential Properties REIT stated that the “proposed development, which directly adjoins the four to six storey Priorsgate scheme, is intended to complete the existing development and enhance the streetscape” along Tallaght’s Main Street.
“It is clear that sites along Old Blessington Road are expected to be redeveloped, and that the council anticipates the appearance and views along the street will evolve over time,” the report said, adding that “it is anticipated that buildings of four to six storeys in height may eventually be constructed in this area”.
The council also called for the layout to be revised so that at least 30% of the units were 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.
In their report, Irish Residential Properties REIT argued that a “study area” around the proposed development contained “notably higher share of one and two person households than the wider SDCC area” and that existing housing stock in the area “predominantly consists of three-to-four-bedroom dwellings, thereby highlighting a market need for one- and two-bedroom apartments”.
The developer agreed to amendments regarding the finish and render of the building, to better assimilate it with existing buildings on Main Street and also submitted revised parking layouts and landscaping plans.
Several concerns were raised during the planning application process from residents in the surrounding area, including the proposed location of temporary sanitation facilities during the construction period, which would have been on a narrow strip close to Block 3 of the Priorsgate development.
In their submissions, residents said that locating “sanitary facilities in front of residents’ patios for two years is inhumane”.
Irish Residential Properties REIT said they had relocated these facilities away from existing homes.
They also addressed concerns raised by local residents over potential anti-social behaviour stemming from the play area in the proposed development, stating that the development would be gated and therefore “will not be publicly accessible”.
They said they could not omit the play area as requested by other residents due to requirements under SDCC’s County Development Plan, but that it has been “carefully located to ensure it is overlooked by a number of existing and proposed apartments” to ensure passive surveillance and “significantly reduce the potential for antisocial behaviour”.
Following this Further Information submission by the developer, a decision is expected from the council’s planning department by Tuesday, February 3.
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