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Darmody Architects/Dublin City Council

North Dublin apartment block given green light despite objection from local pub

An Bord Pleanála overturned the Council’s original decision in August 2019.

A FIVE STOREY apartment block development on Dublin’s Northside has been given the green light by Dublin City Council after being previously rejected by An Bord Pleanála. 

Permission for the apartment block at Cross Guns Bridge in Phibsborough was overturned last August after a local pub objected about the potential impact the development would have on its business. 

Dublin City Council had originally granted roofing contractor P Rooney Roofing permission to build a five-storey development containing nine apartments, as well as a ground-floor café, last March but this was overturned by An Bord Pleanála after a number of locals objected.

They said that its height was excessive, that it would negatively impact wildlife, that it was out of character with the area and that it would overshadow and overlook other buildings.

The developer intended to provide pedestrian and vehicular access to the apartments via Phibsborough Road and a rear lane called McGuinness’ Lane.

The laneway is situated between a snooker hall on Royal Canal Bank, a road adjacent to the Royal Canal, and back of The Bald Eagle pub on Phibsborough Road.

Cross Guns Snooker Hall and The Bald Eagle use the laneway for storing rubbish and the delivery of kegs, and while both businesses have access to it, P Rooney Roofing contended that it had right of way to use it.

In her report last year, planning inspector Sarah Lynch said that if a development had the potential for noise disturbance, it should include measures to reduce noise levels.

However, she noted that no such measures were submitted by the developer as part of its plans, saying this would be necessary to ensure that insulation was provided to ensure both the amenities of future residents and the economic viability of the Bald Eagle pub, which is adjacent to the site.

Lynch also found the development was contrary to the provisions of Dublin City Council’s Development Plan.

Following An Bord Pleanála’s rejection, the developer submitted revised plans in April. 

Under these plans, Dublin City Council’s Planning Department noted that there are no balconies, bedrooms, or living areas in immediate proximity to the pub’s outdoor seating area, and the more noise-sensitive spaces are located to the north.

“Nonetheless, given the previous reason for refusal on the site, the applicant should be requested to specifically address the issue of noise from the pub outdoor seating area, and its potential impact on the apartments at the east end of the site,” it said. 

The Council also said that, given that the site is vacant, the reuse of land zoned for residential development in this case is “to be welcomed” and is in line with the Council’s Development Plan. 

An Bord Pleanála previously noted that a proposed ground floor bedroom window faced directly onto McGuinness’ Lane.

Lynch said that this gave minimum potential for daylight to enter the room, and that the window would also open directly onto the McGuinness’ Lane where rubbish was stored.

She said the use of the laneway was a legal matter and not one that the authority could determine, but found a number of planning issues relating to its location.

The Council, in granting permission for the revised plans, said the ground floor unit was elevated sufficiently above ground level and that the apartments had been redesigned to provide apartments to the north instead. 

With reporting from Stephen McDermott 

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23 Comments
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    Mute Mattress Dick
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 6:30 AM

    Why are they complaining. They’ll have new customers.

    Btw the journo has copy and pasted some paragraphs in the article twice and the editor is obviously useless coz didn’t spot it

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 1:15 PM

    @Mattress Dick: it wasn’t just the pub that objected, it’s in an awkward spot and WAY too big to replace the existing small house as well as other issues with the location

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    Mute Liam Ó hAodha
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 1:20 PM

    @EillieEs: it’s on the outskirts of the city center, what would you like built on that derelict site?
    Bungalows or cottages maybe?

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 4:03 PM

    @Liam Ó hAodha: Its in Phibsboro hardly the outskirts of the city

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    Mute Liam Ó hAodha
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 4:33 PM

    @Gary Kearney: read my comment again Gary but this time slowly.
    I said the outskirts of the “City CENTER” not city

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 6:23 PM

    @Liam Ó hAodha: unlike yourself who thinks there’s space on this tiny site for this apartment block I know EXACTLY where it is hence my comment. There were a number of reasons the original application was denied which don’t seem to have been addressed.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Jul 4th 2020, 8:52 PM

    @EillieEs: why do you need to replace like for like size? If that was the case there’d only be cottages across the “city”.

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    Mute Patrick FitzGerald
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 6:59 AM

    It’s very simple, the apartments should be allowed to be built on the strict understanding that the existing character of the immediate area is a lively and busy one, that anyone moving in is aware of this and that therefore any noise complaints etc would be null and void.

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 7:13 AM

    @Patrick FitzGerald:

    Once the snooker balls don’t rattle in the adjoining club between midnight and 8 am, noise pollution in those new apartment units shouldn’t be a problem.

    Congratulations to the Entrepreneur behind this development for his tenacity in achieving a result after working well with DCC on design changes, following earlier objections. 9 more new apartments coming on the market within walking distance of City Centre is to be welcomed.

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    Mute Karl Lee
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 9:39 AM

    @Patrick FitzGerald: I do believe it’s was something about it over looking a large smoking area, car access to complex was in a dangerous place, extractor fans from the pubs kitchen is in the direction of the apartments bedroom windows, ground access to the apartments was located in exact place were they keep their bins and another business Pie man on the other side of the new site had the same exact issues.

    Don’t think it was a stoppage by the pub but more of a warning message or a hint “are you really sure you wanna do this?” Maybe you should change you plans?

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    Mute Hector Son
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 7:40 AM

    They objected because of the negative effect it would have on the wildlife of Phibsboro?
    badgers are okay with 3 stories are they?

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    Mute Shaner Mac
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 7:04 AM

    Good, need to build homes. Five stories is hardly that much plus it’s better than the vacant, rubbish strewn site that is there now

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    Mute Ciaran Dixon
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 6:25 AM

    Vulture??

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    Mute Sal Paradise
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 6:55 AM

    @Ciaran Dixon: a large scavenging bird of prey.

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    Mute Shaner Mac
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 7:09 AM

    @Ciaran Dixon: Is a vulture fund not when existing properties are bought up? This is a new development

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 8:17 AM

    @Shaner Mac: a vulture fund buy property at a knock down price and may include development. Like a person buying items in a closing down sale.

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    Mute john flynn
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 8:19 AM
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    Mute Emer Caffrey
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 9:41 AM

    What type of architect conceives that?? The height is fine, but ouch it’s rough!!

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 9:53 AM

    @Emer Caffrey: modern building technology and maximising profit for the site. It is actually no different to what the Georgian designs involved and people hated that too at the time. I find fake and modern takes on old styles worse more often than not

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: Wrong so wrong and go and visit a Georgian house and maybe you would understand

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    Mute Louise B
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 10:59 AM

    Greed

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 4:06 PM

    T|he building is in the wrong place, is too big does not fit the area and is a simple matter of greed

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    Mute GaMran
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 1:15 PM

    Hmm,I wonder how this would have panned out on the southside.The northsiders need to suck it up, like it or not. Can never complain cause then we are all against developement. Always been told there’s a crisis and we need to pick up the slack and don’t moan cause we need to fix housing. Being told yous are getting a massive shitter and possibly ruin your blue beaches, ballymun flats, x storey apartment, drug clinics, meth clinics, homeless shelters but god forbid affordable housing development would be built in Ballsbridge or the likes. Or that anyone would question why not. Maria and Leo wouldnt like that. Michael D would need to give up the grounds..but if a pub owner have points the world turns on him.

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