Only one objection has been lodged against the revised €295 million apartment scheme that Cairn Homes is proposing for its Montrose site at RTÉ in Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
The Dublin City Council closing date for objections has passed for the 510 unit scheme and Brian and Orla Murphy from Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, D4, are the only locals objecting to the scheme.
The new proposal by Cairn Homes Montrose Ltd is made up of 326 two-bed apartments, 125 one-bed apartments, 51 three-bed apartments and eight studios across eight apartment blocks.
Three of the apartment blocks will rise to 10 storeys in height.
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In their joint objection the Murphys said that the plan proposes to build 10 blocks ranging from three to 10 storeys on a 4.155 hectare site.
They argued that “the scale, mass and density of the proposal even at the marginally reduced scale in the resubmitted plans is excessively overdevelopment”.
The objection said that the front-loading of the four tallest residential blocks on the N11 boundary side of the site and nine storey residential section resulting in blocking of sunlight/daylight and overshadowing, does not give the same consideration to the residents of Stillorgan Road as it does to the residents on the opposite side of the site where the blocks are maximum six stories high.
[ Permission sought for 510 apartments at former RTÉ site in DonnybrookOpens in new window ]
The Murphys said: “We do appreciate that the developer wants to maximise the return on their investment but surely a better plan could be found for this landmark site that would create a community where people can live for many years with their families.”
The Murphys opposed the previous 608 unit permitted scheme by Cairn for the RTÉ site and were one of seven parties to lodge appeals with the then An Bord Pleanála (now An Coimisiún Pleanála) against the Dublin City Council grant of planning permission in December 2022 for the scheme.
An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission in July 2023 for the 608 apartments and the current permission in place was Cairn Homes’ second attempt to build on the lands where a previous planning permission granted by An Bord Pleanála was quashed by the High Court arising from an action taken by three Ailesbury Road residents.
It is now more than eight years since Cairn Homes agreed a €107.5 million deal with RTÉ in June 2017 to purchase just under nine acres of lands at RTE’s Donnybrook headquarters.
A decision is due on the current application later this month.
