A new planning request for the development of nearly 1,000 residential units on the site of the old Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, Dublin, has been tendered to An Bord Pleanála. This follows more than a year after the initial permission was granted.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) got approval from the planning board last May to erect 852 affordable and social accommodations on one of their most prominent housing locations within their state lands portfolio. Yet, this decision was protested via legal action by local builder, Mark Leonard. He maintained that the project was not in compliance with the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council development plan.
The board accepted the legal challenge last April, but the LDA, a notice party, decided to keep arguing for the case. The judicial review proceedings continue.
The primary application by the agency was presented under the strategic housing development (SHD) system, where projects for large-scale residential communities were directly forwarded to the board, thus avoiding the local council planning system.
The system was created to fast-track the creation of housing, mandating the board to reach decisions within 16 weeks. The LDA put in its request for 940 apartments in Dundrum in March 2022, securing permission in May of the same year, though the board scaled down the permitted amount of homes to 852.
The SDH system has since been discontinued, but the LDA announced it’s now collaborating with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which is submitting the new planning request for 934 apartments at the site.
This collaboration with the council allows a direct application to the board, and the public can voice their thoughts within a six-week period. This system, utilised for local borough projects, also permits the board to request the council to adjust the planning request before reaching a final verdict.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) has announced that its most recent designs largely coincide with existing permissions which include a variety of housing options such as flats, townhomes, and community dwellings intended for varying demographics including first-time homeowners, older citizens, families, and tenants. Out of the total number of flats, 753 have been priced affordably for rent or purchase, targeting employees with low to medium wages. Additionally, 181 residences will be allocated as social housing for individuals on the council’s waiting list.
The LDA addressed concerns that arose during the original consultation period and revised the heights of the apartment buildings along the site’s perimeter, now varying between two to eight stories across the area. LDA’s CEO, John Coleman, expressed optimism in their collaboration with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, expressing confidence in building on the relationships established with the local residents during the initial consultation.
Coleman also stated their extensive work on the plans and the anticipated positive impact they will have on the community in Dundrum. Although the LDA may still push for the initial plan pending a positive outcome from a judicial review, it is likely to proceed with the one that gets approval first.
In April 2021, when the LDA published its master plan for the site, they projected the completion of the whole project by 2028 with the first homes available within the year. However, currently, they do not have a confirmed construction date. Over the past year, the site offered tented refuge for asylum seekers.
To elucidate the updated plans, information sessions and webinars will be conducted on the dates of 10th and 12th September at Dundrum Library. The sessions will occur between 10 am-1 pm and 4 pm-8 pm, respectively. More intricate details are also accessible on dundrumcentral.ie.