Approval Secured for Housing Development Project on Terenure College Premises
Planning Commission Grants Approval for Controversial 284-Unit Residential Development in Terenure, Dublin
A large-scale residential development (LRD) on lands at Terenure College, Dublin, has been granted planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP), despite initial refusal by Dublin City Council. The scheme, proposed by Lioncor subsidiary 1 Cellbridge West Land Ltd, includes 265 apartments across four blocks (one block six storeys high) and 19 four-bedroom houses on Fortfield Road, Terenure.
The planning application for the current scheme received 86 third-party submissions, with the majority of submissions coming from local residents opposed to the scheme. The council found that the proposed car parking provision was inadequate to serve the needs of future residents, and the council inspector recommended refusal based on flood risk and other unspecified grounds.
However, ACP overturned these concerns, concluding that the proposed development’s scale and density are acceptable for the location. The scheme meets standards for urban design, height, traffic, pedestrian safety, and convenience. No significant negative effects on biodiversity or water quality are expected. ACP did not accept the inspector's recommendation to refuse, stating that the scheme would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.
Fr Nolan, representing the college, stated that the development would not impact the school’s operation and that the remaining institutional land would still be more than adequate for the school’s needs. Additionally, Fr Simon Nolan, the provincial of the Irish Province of Carmelites, lodged a letter in support of the scheme, stating that it would provide a capital injection into Terenure College and secure its future viability as a secondary school, as well as benefit the ongoing work and ministry of the Carmelite Order in Ireland, Zimbabwe, and other parts of the world.
The proposed development site for the residential scheme is located on a 4.6-hectare (11.5-acre) open field, formerly used as playing pitches associated with the now closed junior school and on the northwest corner of Terenure College Senior school. The development marks a departure from the 'build to rent' 364-unit scheme and 21 houses that were refused planning permission two years ago, as the current scheme is a 'build to sell' residential development.
The approved development, while controversial, could potentially impact the future financial landscape of Terenure College and the Carmelite Order due to the capital injection it promises. This large-scale project, stretching across residential buildings and home-and-garden spaces, may also pique the interest of investors looking for opportunities in real-estate and lifestyle sectors in Dublin.
