Nursing home and apartments ‘would be isolated development’

THE development of a nursing home and apartment blocks, reaching up to eight-storeys, in Cookstown Industrial Estate has been refused planning permission.

In the decision to refuse permission for the proposal at Unit 21, First Avenue, Cookstown Industrial Estate, South Dublin County Council stated that it “substantially diverges” from the Local Area Plan.

The planning authority detailed that the proposed development “would be isolated development and would provide a poor standard of residential amenity”.

With that, the project would “thereby undermine the regeneration priorities as outlined in the zoning objective”.

Bartra Property Cookstown Limited applied for planning permission in July.

The proposed development consists of the demolition of all existing one-to-three-storey industrial/commercial structures and small café.

In its place, it is proposed that a one-to-five-storey nursing home/step-down facility with 131 bedspaces over a partial basement with a central courtyard be developed.

It is also proposed that 139 residential units, arranged in an eight-storey block and five-to-six-storey block, be constructed with two commercial units containing a pharmacy and cafe.

Block A, which is eight-storeys, would consist of 67 one-bed/two person units, 12 two-bed/three person units and 60 two-bed/four person units with balconies facing all directions.

In the lengthy application, there is provision for a central communal open space with partial provision of a “pocket park” identified through the Local Area Plan.

A new vehicular access from First Avenue and egress onto Cookstown Road through a one-way system is proposed through the site, along with bicycle storage for 307 spaces and 42 car-parking spaces.

The council believes that the eight-storey development which fronts the internal street “is inappropriate and would be detrimental to the enjoyment and amenity of that space”.

One of the reasons listed for refusal is that plans do not include provision for cyclists on the Cookstown Road.

According to the Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan (LAP) 2020-2026, it is a requirement for developments of more than 100 units to provide childcare facilities.

The council stated that the LAP states the Cookstown area “will likely require provision of 360 childcare spaces to meet the demands of the redeveloped area”.

This planning application does not include any provision of childcare facilities and stated that there is in the area – but it is more than a 10-minute walk away, which contravenes the LAP.

The five headings around the decision to refuse permission is the sequencing and phasing, intensity of the development, infrastructure, residential layout and amenities, and public realm and water.

South Dublin County Council refused planning permission on September 8, 2021.

Previously, plans to demolish 5,500sq.m of existing industrial buildings and the construction of 150 build to rent apartments and 222 shared living units was refused permission at the subject site.

That proposal was to provide for 725 bedspaces at a height of five-to-eight-storeys and was refused permission by An Bord Pleanála in June 2019.