Dublin People - Board grants hearing into Ballsbridge applications

Home

News

Motoring

Board grants hearing into Ballsbridge applications

Friday, 20 June 2008

An Bord Pleanála has granted an oral hearing into the planning application for Sean Dunne’s towering 37-storey development in Ballsbridge.
The board has also decided to hold an oral hearing on the nearby former veterinary college site in Ballsbridge, which includes plans for a 15-storey apartment block.
In March the planning appeals board granted planning permission for a large part of Mr Dunne’s proposed redevelopment of the Jury’s Berkeley Court site in Ballsbridge which he acquired for e380 million.
Dublin City Council has already granted permission for a 232-bedroom hotel, a district shopping centre, 294 apartments, an embassy building, cultural centre and a crèche.
The planning permission granted for the development includes an 18-storey building fronting onto Shelbourne Road. However, the controversial 37-storey tower planned by Dunne for the site was not granted after a split decision.
An office block planned for the site was also rejected. After the local authority’s decision Dunne said that development would not commence on the site until the two omitted buildings had been granted permission, either through An Bord Pleanála or Dublin City Council in a later planning application.
Councillors advised planners to reject his application on the grounds that in their view the 37-storey tower, and several other tall buildings on the site including the 18-storey block, were out of keeping with the residential area.
The board said it has received 127 appeals, at a cost of e220 to each appellant in relation to Mr Dunne's plans, which have been the cause of significant controversy in the Ballsbridge area.
Dublin City Council also granted planning permission last February to developer Ray Grehan for the 40,000sq m complex of shops, offices, an arts centre and 109 apartments on the veterinary college site adjoining the Jury’s/Berkeley Court site owned by Seán Dunne.
Local councillors had recommended that the planners not grant permission for the development on the basis of its height, although its tallest structure is less than half the height of the 37-storey tower sought by Mr Dunne.
Damien Cassidy of the Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount Environmental Group, which appealed the decision to the board, welcomed the decision to hold the hearings.
“It is a very wise decision by An Bord Pleanála given that both plans involve the transformation of a quiet Ballsbridge village - which has been known for centuries as a low rise and quaint part of the city - into a Manhattan type development,” he said.
“If this starts in Ballsbridge it will run its way right throughout the city no matter what area you are talking about. We are not going to be able to recognise the city of Dublin if this type of development goes ahead.”
The council’s ‘Maximising the City's Potential’ document, which relates to building height and density, points out that the planner's decision on the Jury’s Berkeley Court site noted that it was the planning authority's strong view that ''a landmark building of architectural excellence is required'' at that location.

Jaguar XF picks up Scottish award

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

Bill Caven, President of the ASMW, described the new XF as “an extremely impressive beast in more ways than one”. “It not only looks strikingly different from anything currently...
+ Full Story

Sporty look for new Passat

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

The story was the same all through the week I had the car. Whoever occupied the front passenger seat really enjoyed the heated seat in what was our first cold snap of winter. The new Passat...
+ Full Story

SEAT Ibiza wins German Golden Steering Wheel

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

The Ibiza was judged overall winner in the category by a panel made up of technicians and drivers, as well as staff members and the readership of the ‘Bild am Sonntag’ magazine. During...
+ Full Story

Opel gets ready to launch Insignia

Tuesday, 11 November 2008

You’re going to see similar style spooky ads in cinemas and on your television sets in the coming weeks as Opel launch their Insignia Project. This is a huge project to introduce Opel's new...
+ Full Story