A HIGH-DENSITY development planned for a site in Howth has come in for strong criticism.
A proposal to use the Techrete factory, which is relocating to Balbriggan, was presented to Fingal councillors at the Marine Hotel by Glenkerrin Homes last week.
Plans for the site include an astonishing 386 apartments, along with a number of commercial developments, including a hotel laid out in eight large three to 11-storey blocks.
Also included in the plan is a new community centre for the Howth Sutton Community Council and five detached homes for Traveller families to the west of the site, facilities that were proposed by the council.
Dublin North East TD Tommy Broughan TD (Lab) claimed the plan would be a serious attack on local amenities.
He said the proposal represents some of the highest densities ever planned on the Northside.

“This is a far higher density even than Clongriffin and the Coast in the nearby new town along the North Fringe in Donaghmede and Baldoyle,” stated Deputy Broughan.
“The overwhelming reaction of constituents to this high-rise, high-density proposal is one of outrage and dismay.
“The 11 or 12-storey hotel tower and the general five to eight-story height of the massive apartment blocks will create a terrible high-rise precedent for Howth.
“The proposal also represents an attack on the Special Amenity Area status of the Howth peninsula.”
Deputy Broughan said that while the developers have stressed the closeness of Howth DART Station to the site, over 1,000 parking spaces are being provided for the apartments, hotel and commercial facilities in mostly underground car parks.
“The arrival of more than 1,000 vehicles at the location would create an insuperable traffic problem for Howth Town and environs,” he argued.
“Already Sutton Cross, the only entry point to the peninsula, is completely choked with traffic at weekends and during rush hour, as our very welcome visitors and residents come into and leave the peninsula.”
Deputy Broughan has called on the developers to immediately go back to the drawing board and start again with a much lower density and lower sustainable development at this ‘Suburban Centre’ zoned site.
Cian O’Callaghan, Labour’s candidate in Howth for next year’s local elections, said he would also be strongly supporting local opposition to the proposal.
Northside People contacted Glenkerrin Homes but the person dealing with the issue was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.