Cairn Homes has affirmed its plans to submit a fresh Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) planning proposal for its former RTÉ location, worth €107.5 million, to the Dublin City Council next year. Cairn Homes Montrose Ltd was awarded planning permission valid for a decade in July, 2023, for an apartment project with 608 units, valued at €345 million, on a previous section of the Donnybrook campus in Dublin 4.
Disputingly, the appeals board denied permission for a major component of the plan, a 16-floor tower that was intended to incorporate a 192-room hotel and 80 flats. Cairn Homes Montrose has now suggested in its filing to An Bord Pleanala that advancing the 2023 permission without initially obtaining approval for the reconstruction of Block 5, the planned hotel’s 16-storey tower, has proven impossible.
It has communicated to the appeals board that it intends to submit a new LRD application during 2025’s first quarter, which focuses on reestablishing the tower albeit with certain modifications related to height, design, and possible uses. The plans drawn up by Cairn Homes for the former RTÉ location have been heavily criticised by local communities.
The developers indicated to An Bord Pleanala, given the past history of litigation against prior permissions, that there is an eminent potential of legal action against any future permission grants and they highlighted that such decisions under judicial review can extend the timeline up to 18 months.
While appealing against Dublin City Council’s decision to impose the Residential Land Zoned Tax (RZLT) on the former RTÉ land, designed to curb land hoarding by owners, Cairn Homes disclosed its intention to propose new plans for the location. It expressed to An Bord Pleanala that the upcoming application invites possible objections, causing delays in wider permission implementation and hindering the lands’ development. They thereby argue that the imposition of RZLT is inappropriate and non-reasonable.
However, the council’s decision that these lands fall under the tax was upheld by An Bord Pleanala. John Duffy, an inspector, stated that the lands were part of an established built-up area, and hence were deemed vacant or idle as defined by the Act.
In 2017, Cairn acquired the territories for a whopping €107.5 million. The firm’s CEO, Michael Stanley, conveyed in March 2019 their aspiration to initiate the building process in 2020.