Landmark house not exempted to turn into homeless accommodation hub

The council have determined that conversion of a landmark house in Rathfarnham into a homeless accommodation hub is not an exempted development and will need planning permission to continue.

Sinnulis Ltd had filed a declaration of exemption with the council in January 2026 to determine whether the use of two residential buildings – Rose Bank and Rosebank Lodge on Ballyboden Road, Rathfarnham to house homeless families “is or is not development”.

“The subject site comprises two residential properties which were previously used to provide medium to long-term accommodation to homeless families, however, has since been vacant since 2014,” the planning report to the council stated.

Rosebank is a two-storey, eight-bedroom property while Rosebank Lodge, the smaller of the two buildings, is a single storey one-bed property close to the site’s entrance.

“This facility does not and has never provided care to residents,” the report said, adding that staff did not live onsite, would visit only to carry out maintenance and cleaning works and that “no element of care, be it social, physical or emotional will be provided to residents at this property, nor will any non- governmental organisation or approved housing body be involved”.

“This declaration seeks clarification on the continued use of Rosebank and Rosebank Lodge as residential buildings that provide accommodation to homeless families but does not provide care,” it continued, contending “from the outset that this does not constitute development”.

The main house on the site, Rosebank, is currently also the subject of a third-party appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála by Ballyboden Tidy Towns, who had filed an application asking the council to determine whether the development was exempted or not in November 2025.

Ballyboden Tidy Towns had also raised concerns about other works on the site including excavation of trenches and drainage works adjacent to the Owendoher River “possibly linked to storm/foul connections”, works to protected structures including the bridge, railings, gates and walls, “deposition of construction debris into the Owendoher River” and  removal of mature trees  “within the redline area of Rosebank but also on council- owned zoned open space (Willowbank Green ) outside the property boundary”.

Despite a further information request in December 2025, South Dublin County Council issued a decision in early January that “insufficient information has been submitted in order to determine whether the subject proposal is or is not exempted development”.

This decision is now the subject of an appeal by Ballyboden Tidy Towns to An Coimisiún Pleanála, lodged on February 4, 2026.

In the meantime, South Dublin County Council issued a decision to Sinnulis Ltd on February 9, 2026 that their use of Rosebank and Rosebank Lodge as homeless accommodation “constitutes development and does not constitute exempted development and would thus require planning permission”.

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