Greenlight for 249 apartments at Carriglea Industrial Estate

A STRATEGIC Housing Development (SHD) comprising of 249 apartments in eight blocks ranging from five- to eight-storeys has been given the greenlight by An Bord Pleanála.

Gold Port Estates Limited, the applicant, has been granted permission for the residential development located in Carriglea Industrial Estate, Muirfield Drive off the Naas Road in Dublin 12.

Spread across the eight apartment blocks, there is two studios, 59 one-bed, 153 two-bed and 35 three-bed apartments within the plans.

There is provision of ancillary on-site facilities including a 149sq.m meeting space and 173sq.m community facility on the ground floor of one of the blocks.

A 155sq.m cafe and 140sq.m Digital Hub also make up part of the plans along with a resident’s concierge facility (92sq.m) in an eight-storey block containing 46 apartments.

There is provision for communal landscaped open space at podium level which includes a raised platform with seating areas and a play area.

In the application, it shows plans for 185 car parking spaces which include 10 universal access spots, 10 club car spots and 20 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along with two set-down spaces.

Space for 554 bicycle parking spaces, including 18 electric bike charging stations, service and plant areas, waste management and storage area are also part of the plans.

70 surface cycle spaces and the provision of solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of the apartment blocks round out the plans.

On February 3, 2022, An Bord Pleanála (ABP) granted permission subject to 27 conditions.

Some of the conditions are primarily particulars around opaque glazing between units, reconfiguration of the studios, and provision of a pedestrian and cycle route on site connecting to Carriglea Drive.

Proposals for a development name and numbering scheme are to be submitted to the planning authority among other things which include a financial contribution to the planning authority.

Since June 2017, SHD applications go straight to An Bord Pleanála, bypassing councils and disarming elected representatives from making a decision on a large scale development.

Fast track legislation for SHDs, which was signed into effect by then-Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, for the purpose of meeting the demand for housing, is set to be abolished.

Legislation to end SHDs and and restore the decision-making of large-scale housing developments to Local Authorities such as South Dublin County Council was passed in December.

This bill replaces the SHD process with a new planning process known as Large Scale Residential Developments (LRDs).

Following the enactment of the new bill, both LRD and SHD planning consent schemes will operate concurrently until all applications have worked their way through the system.