Plans are refused to turn commercial premises into five-storey apartment block

PLANS to turn a commercial premises into a five storey apartment block in Bluebell have been refused permission by Dublin City Council.

Applicant Paul O’Reilly was seeking planning permission to redevelop a site on Old Naas Road, which is located behind the McDonalds on Kylemore Road.

Proposals included the demolition of an existing part two storey/part single storey shop and restaurant structure, and the construction of a new five storey apartment block containing 25 apartment units in total with no provision for car parking.

An objection to the proposal was lodged by industrial gases and engineering company BOC, who operate a Sevesco site 60 metres away from the application site.

The BOC submission said their site is an Upper Tier Establishment, as defined by the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015, due to the “possibility of major accidents from the production and distribution of dangerous substances at the site.”

Another submission by Health and Safety Authority Inspector Geoff Hynes, stated the Authority “does not advise against the granting of planning permission in the context of Major Accident Hazards” with regards to the application site.

In making their decision to refuse permission for the development on December 12, city planners said the proposed development is neither permissible nor open for consideration under the Z6 ‘Employment/Enterprise’ land use zoning objective applicable to the site, and that it would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development under the Development Plan 2022-2028 for the area.

City planners also cited “non-central location” of the site and “non-provision of car parking for residents and visitors” and “non-provision of internal servicing space”, which would give “rise to unacceptable levels of overspill and haphazard car parking on surrounding roads.”