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THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR Joseph O’Connor and several of his neighbours in south Dublin have lost a planning battle over a new housing development at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac of Victorian houses.
An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to grant planning permission for the construction of two flat-roofed dwellings at Shanganagh Terrace, Killiney, Co Dublin.
It rejected appeals by seven different parties including O’Connor and his wife, Anne-Marie Casey – a screenwriter, novelist and TV producer – as well as a local environmental group against the council’s approval for the development.
The owners of the property, Elaine O’Hora and Suvi Harris, are seeking to build two new houses on the 0.14-hectare site – a two-storey, three-bedroom property and a two-bedroom bungalow – which also requires the demolition of four existing sheds.
The board also disagreed with its own planning inspector who recommended that planning permission should be refused for the larger of the two houses due to the “unacceptably low provision of quality open space” but that the bungalow was acceptable.
The proposed development was opposed by several other residents of Shanganagh Terrace including O’Connor and his wife.
In their appeal, the couple claimed the proposed development with four car parking spaces would exacerbate traffic congestion on Shanganagh Terrace which would impact on traffic safety on the narrow cul-de-sac which has no footpath.
They claimed it would also impact on the quality of Shanganagh Terrace as a conservation area as the proposed addition of two houses would constitute overdevelopment of a restricted site.
A consultant acting for O’Connor and Casey stated: “The current lack of parking spaces means there are frequent issues with accessibility for refuse collection vehicles and delivery trucks.”
The consultant claimed it would also affect the quality of the terrace, which predominantly contains mid-Victorian houses, as a conservation area.
The couple’s appeal pointed out that planning permission was refused in 2016 for the development of a single house on the same site because of its negative impact on the residential amenities of the area.
They accused council planners of showing inconsistency by approving the latest planning application which involves a larger development at the same location.
The couple also expressed concern that one of the proposed houses would overshadow their property which was likely to result in a reduction in the value of their home.
Similar issues were raised by other residents in the area, while the Ballybrack Church Lane Environmental Group claimed the potential impacts of a wastewater connection for the development had not been assessed.
However, An Bord Pleanála ruled that the proposed development would not adversely impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties either by overshadowing, overlooking or being of overbearing appearance.
The board also determined that it would not significantly detract from the character of the surrounding area.
Explaining its decision for rejecting the recommendation of its own inspector, the board said the amount of open space in the development was in excess of both national and local standards.
It said the contemporary design of the new dwellings in terms of their scale and height was in line with the objectives relating to Architectural Conservation Areas contained in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2022-2028.
The board also concluded that the development would not significantly endanger public safety by creating a traffic hazard or obstruction for road users.
O’Connor, who is the brother of singer Sinead O’Connor who died last year, has written many best-selling novels including Star of the Sea, Ghost Light and Shadowplay.
His latest book, My Father’s House, which was published earlier this year, is based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, an Irish priest in the Vatican who helped to save thousands of prisoners during the Nazi occupation of Rome.
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You mean “illegal immigrants”? I ask because that’s what we call people who sneak into our country.
I may be wrong, but it appears that the Irish government has double standards. It is OK if illegal/undocumented immigrants are Irish, but not OK if they aren’t Irish.
Why is this?
Because Ireland is the home of double standards.
We were there first.
And undocumented human beings being forced to live in public toilets.
They weren’t forced to live in public toilets, they choose to. They were housed by the charity groups in Ennis but had to leave because of behavour caused by the alcohol. They were also given a home in Galway city recently but left it and returned to Ennis and started living rough again after only a week. You shouldnt use these poor unfortunates to make a incorrect point.
Thanks Pat for your comment. However, I would like to add that the unfortunate Czech National was not an illegal immigrant. The Czech Republic entered the EU in 2004 so the poor gentleman had more rights than an illegal immigrant. Furthermore, the late Mr. Pavelka gave his family the impression that he was doing well here in Ireland.
In this case, the late Mr. Pavelka made the choice to live rough and ignore support from the state.
That’s the kind of thing people say about the homeless Irish in London…
Exactly they are illegal aliens. If they regularised it will be for economic reasons. I have a family member over there illegally but it is a sub life that illegal people choose.
Lemass was offered buy declined an open visa programme in the 1960s bizarrely,
Not quite. Ireland had a yearly quota of 50, 000 American green cards per year – Lemass wanted the youth to stay at home, so rescinded the deal. What a stupid thing to do, other small countries would love a similar deal.
Also, if I were illegally in Ireland (im not, I swears) id get as many people as possible, in a similar position as myself, to write a letter to the American ambassador(Dan Rooney?) to Ireland to highlight the Irish governments hypocrisy on this issue.
Theres similar number of illegal immigrants here, as there are Irish over there. Lets be realistic – neither groups are going to ever leave. Probably best to legalise both and then become more stringent on incomers.
Undocumented? Illegal immigrants I would have thought.
Get our country in order first. Legal immigrants face hugh increase in price of visas and documents.schools and colleges go bankrupt and leave foreign students with nothing. Cost of citizenship is over 1k. Criteria to setup business here and be granted business visa is to have 300k in bank and employ 2 irish citizens.
As for illegal here, employees hold all the power and face only slap on wrist if caught paying next to nothing. If we imposed zero tolerence how many would loose childcare? All the conditions that illegals face in USA are the same and worse here.
So buy getting our country in order first… Do you mean have America return all the illegal Irish to Ireland and Ireland return all of the illegal immigrants to their countries of orgin? Then permit all to apply and use the legal routes of entry into each country?
@marlon no i dont want a population of 18 million in ireland. What i am saying is that both countries need immigration and a balance in legislation to be made in order to have less illegal. when you are seeking legal entry, you face so many costs and barriers that only promote the opposite or leave people changing status every 2nd year or stuck here illegal after working for 5 years.
Without immigration in USA it has been shown that statistically many industries would be in trouble 50% workforce on farms are immigrants and qaurter construction and child minding rough stats taken from hispanic centres. While we were in boom years it would not have been possible without a immigrant workforce and in hardtimes childcare is a major priority.
Barney R, I believe we are in agreement regarding the fact that America and Ireland both need immigration. However, I believe that we are not in agreement regarding the legality of the immigration. An Irish Illegal\undocumented immigrant in America is unacceptable and these persons are criminals. An Illegal\undocumented immigrant in Ireland is unacceptable and these persons are criminals.
Hundreds of people in both countries go through the proper channels and procedures to enter and remain. Why should persons who by-passed immigration laws be given legal status?
I believe the Irish government should stop lobbying America to permit illegal\undocumented Irish immigrants to remain and instead enacting a reciprocity program.
Funny that america was a powerhouse before the ted kennnedy immigration reform bill. No country needs mass immigration. The farmers can modernise rather than rely on cheapo labour.
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