Thumbs down for 58 units in Walkinstown
By Maurice Garvey
AN BORD Pleanála (ABP) has overturned an appeal for a mixed-use development containing 58 residential units in Walkinstown – citing “excessive scale” and “impact on privacy” as reasons for the decision.
Developers Canmar Properties Limited sought permission from Dublin City Council for a residential and commercial development, at a site bounded and accessed by both Walkinstown Road and Balfe Road.
The site in Walkinstown
The site is located beside the Bank of Ireland building and across the road from the Halfway House pub.
Plans lodged last November contained proposals for the demolition of all existing buildings on site, and the construction of a mixed-use commercial and residential development in four blocks, accommodating three commercial units and 58 residential units.
Up to 15 submissions were lodged by residents, who objected to the proposals, citing concerns over the size of the development, and impact on local amenities.
In February, Dublin City Council rejected the proposal, stating the layout of the proposed development would be “overlooking and overbearing upon both existing residences in the vicinity and potential residences within the scheme.”
Canmar appealed the decision to ABP.
In making their decision on August 9, ABP considered the development constituted “substandard overdevelopment by reason of the excessive scale, height and mass” of Block A relative to the Bank of Ireland building on the corner site facing onto Long Mile Road.
The Board considered serious impacts on the privacy of the property units in Blocks A, B and C by mutual overlooking.
Concerns were also raised about deficiencies in the quality and amenity potential of the private open space provision for apartments within the proposed development.
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