A decision on a proposed changing area for swimmers which has resulted in a planning battle between next door neighbours, film director Neil Jordan and businessman Robin Power, is due to be made next month.
The changing area at Mr Power’s home on Sorrento Terrace in Dalkey is back under consideration by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council after Mr Jordan and his wife Breda Rawn applied successfully to the High Court for the quashing of the original planning retention permission.
Sorrento Terrace is one of the most expensive roads in Dublin, comprising large period houses overlooking the sea.
A submission to the council on behalf of Mr Power by RPS Consultants states the bathing shelter “is modest in nature, discreetly located at level three of the tiered gardens, is not connected to the house and is also set back from the terraced area.
“At the time, it was considered that the small extension was exempt development and our client was unaware of the threshold relating to exempt ancillary structures located within the overall curtilage of a house,” it adds.
RPS states that a retention planning application was the most appropriate manner to regularise the matter.
However, an objection drawn up by planning consultant Ann Mulcrone on behalf of Mr Jordan and Ms Rawn states the impact of the development on their neighbouring garden “is very significant”. Mr Jordan and Ms Rawn live at No 7 Sorrento Terrace with Mr Power living next door at No 8.
Ms Mulcrone has requested the application be reviewed by a different planning team to the one that granted Mr Power planning retention last year.
“This is absolutely essential to bring some measure of independent review of the issues raised and to avoid the perception of objective bias.”
Ms Mulcrone also states the extent of the development at the Power home “is much more significant than identified in the public notice”.
The objection states “the unauthorised development, if allowed, would materially affect the character of the protected structure and would seriously injure the amenities and depreciate the value of property in the vicinity”.
It says the proposed development interferes with the character of the landscape and view of Sorrento Terrace from Vico Road and Killiney Hill.
