A company owned by former Panda Waste owner Eamon Waters has appealed “unwarranted, unreasonable and disproportionate” limitations placed on a proposed student housing complex in Dublin 8.
The applicant company, Blackpitts Residence ULC, is owned by Panda Waste founder Eamon Waters through his Sretaw Hotel Group.
Mr Waters’ company had sought planning permission from Dublin City Council for a 217-bed, four- to six-storey student housing development in Blackpitts. The development was also proposed to include amenities, such as a gym, cinema room and study facilities.
Locals submitted a series of observations to the council regarding the development, highlighting potential issues such as overlooking, excessive height, inadequate parking, and possible damage to property values.
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The council granted permission for the development in September, subject to 23 conditions.
One of the limitations prescribed by the council required the developers to “entirely” omit the fifth floor, which would represent a reduction of 28 bed spaces and to limit the width of the fourth floor.
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The council said this was to “protect visual and residential amenity, ensure the building integrates appropriately into the streetscape, and prevent undue impact on neighbouring properties”.
Appealing the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála on behalf of the Sretaw firm, McGill Planning said the limitations placed on the development were “considered unwarranted, unreasonable and disproportionate”.
McGill Planning stated that the developer had initially planned to build a seven-storey complex with more than 250 beds, but had modified its plans following a meeting with the council.
The planning agent further noted that, combined with the limits on the width of the fourth floor, the conditions would reduce the development to just 175 rooms.
The conditions are, the agent said, reducing the size of the development by “20 per cent from what was applied [for] – and 30 per cent from what was originally proposed” to the council.
“The condition also effectively renders the permitted development unviable commercially,” McGill told An Coimisiún Pleanála in their appeal, and would block them from meeting an “identified need for student housing in the city.”
Mr Waters has purchased several properties across Dublin since the sale of his waste business empire in 2021. Beauparc Utilities, which included the Panda and Greenstar waste firms, was sold to Australia’s Macquarie Infrastructure Fund in a deal worth €1.4 billion.
