A company partially owned by Bono has won a scheduling battle in its opposition to a planned apartment plan for Dalkey.
It follows Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council denying Elaine Wann planning permission for a three-storey, eight-unit apartment on Dalkey’s Castle Street.
The proposed apartment plan would be adjacent to the Tramyard site owned by Clós Nua.
The U2 frontman has a third stake in Clós Nua, which is behind plans to revamp the Tramyard site, and in an appeal against the council, the company claimed the Wann apartment plan would “devalue” the Tramyard site.
Now, in a sweeping denial, the council told Ms Wann that her apartment plan would “seriously damage amenities and reduce the value of nearby real estate”.
Pointing out that the planned development is within the Dalkey Village Architectural Conservation Area (ACA), the council said the overall design of the proposed development, particularly the proposed mansard roof “would be completely inappropriate in the context of the historic village, would are visually intrusive and would set an unfavorable precedent.”
The Council said adapting the buildings in the proposed manner “does not take context into account and does not improve the Dalkey Village ACA”.
The Council added: “In addition, the proposed development would not integrate sympathetically or respectfully into the historical fabric of the streetscape. Therefore, the resulting scale, mass and design of the proposed roof shape are considered unacceptable.
The planning authority concluded that the proposed development would detract from the character of the existing buildings, the surrounding streetscape and the visual experience of the area.
The objection lodged by Bono’s Clós Nua was one of five third-party comments on the scheme.
The council planner’s report said the “refusal recommendation could address most of third-party concerns”.
The council refused the building permit after the local government conservation officer recommended a denial stating that the plan “fails to contribute positively to Dalkey’s built character and form”.
Clós Nua received planning permission in August 2021 for the redevelopment of the former Trasmyard site in the center of the south Dublin village, despite strong local opposition.
Advisers to Clós Nua – part-owned by Bono and Belfast-born hotelier and property developer Paddy McKillen Snr – claimed the eight-apartment project next door at 16/17 and 18 Dalkey’s Castle Street is “unacceptable”.
Clós Nua bought the Tramyard site for a reported €3 million in order to submit the regeneration plans.
Planning consultant for Clós Nua, Suzanne McClure of Brock McClure claimed that the apartment plan “represents a significant overdevelopment that is completely disproportionate for this small infill site”.
Ms McClure claimed the apartment plan would eventually devalue the Tramyard site and negatively impact its vitality and viability, along with that of Castle Street.
In her submission on behalf of the Tramyard owners, Ms McClure told the Council that “construction on the (Tramyard) project will begin in the near future”.
Ms McClure claimed the scheme will have a “disproportionate impact” on the Tramyard site.
Ms McClure said the plan is “inappropriate, over-developed and incongruous in the context of surrounding buildings”.
Ms McClure argued that the plan “would constitute a form of development uncharacteristic of and unsympathetic to its site in a conservation area in the center of the heritage town of Dalkey”.
Ms McClure claimed that due to the “presumptuous nature” of the apartment plan proposal, the Tramyard site at 16a Castle Street “will experience a significant loss of amenities and privacy”.