An Bord Pleanála gives green light for 46 apartments along Bray’s River Dargle

The site sits along the south banks of the Dargle River, at Seapoint Road, and in the past was home to an abattoir, while also being the location for Lakers Social and Recreational Club before a fire gutted the building in 2018.

The former Bray Golf Club lands, on the northside of the river, are earmarked for significant future development, and on inspection, the site on the southside was described by the Bord as “poor” with “evidence of neglect, defaced buildings, weeds and fly tipping with small amounts of discarded items strewn around the property”.

Ballymore Group subsidiary Shankill Property Investments Limited first lodged plans for the demolition of four light industrial/commercial buildings including their extensions and a change of use to residential in March 2022. Permission was sought to construct two apartment blocks containing 54 apartments. The first block would be five storeys, with 14 one-bed units and 17 two-bed units.

The second apartment block would be four storeys tall with nine one-bed units and 14 two-beds.

The proposal also included private open space, a 193 square metre public open space, and associated play areas and landscape works. Parking was earmarked for 36 spaces, 85 resident bicycle spaces and 28 visitor bicycle spaces. The initial plans attracted a raft of submissions from residents, residents’ groups and local councillors, including Anne Ferris, Erika Doyle and Deputy Steven Matthews.

The plans hit a setback with regard to the constrained nature of the site, the existing residential development, the layout and scale of the proposed apartment blocks, as well as the relationship of the proposed development to existing boundaries.

In the planner’s report from April 2022, it was considered the development would be overbearing, particularly with respect to its proximity and increased height where it addresses the houses adjoining Seapoint Court, and that it would overwhelm the housing on Seapoint Road, in particular the existing cottages.

The proposals to limit overlooking were not believed to have appropriately dealt with this issue and it was decided that it would “seriously therefore injure the amenities and depreciate the value of properties in the vicinity, and would not accord with proper planning and sustainable development.”

With planning for the development refused, revisions to the overall project were submitted in August 2022, with a reduction in the number of apartments to a total of 46 across the two blocks.

Block A would consist of four storeys with a setback fifth storey (five storeys overall), providing nine one-bed apartments and 17 two-beds.

Block B would consist of three storeys with a setback fourth storey, providing 11 one-bed apartments and nine two-beds. The development would also include private open spaces in the form of balconies and terraces; public open space, and communal open space and landscape works; roof mounted solar panels; 32 car parking spaces and one disabled parking space;113 bicycle spaces, as well as upgraded vehicular access from Seapoint Road.

While planning approval was recommended in October 2022, an appeal was lodged with An Bord Pleanala by two residents as well as the owner of a two-storey commercial unit to the rear of 14 Seapoint Road.

While the residents withdrew their appeal in January 2024, the owner of the commercial property had concerns over the distance of the proposed development from their buildings, vehicular right of way, the erection of hoarding around the property and “cutting of the access to my property”.

“We have not consented to this and have previously expressed our concerns to the applicant. While it is stated that the road will be maintained open it is also stated it will be closed temporarily,” the appellant stated.

“Extensive works to the public road and retaining walls are proposed without any acknowledgement of the need for our business to continue to operate from the property. The proposed alteration of the levels of the current access road may render my own premises impossible to access. ln addition a new concrete surface for access to the lock up is proposed on part of my property despite this never being discussed or consented to,” they added.

Granting permission, with conditions, An Bord Pleanala felt the proposed separation distance and the commercial unit in question “would provide adequate privacy and residential amenity for future residents of the development”. The other issues it felt were also adequately addressed.

The “modern design approach” put forward by the developer was considered appropriate and the modifications proposed, particularly in respect to the impact on Seapoint Court, and Seapoint Road/Milton Terrace, are deemed acceptable.

It was considered that, given the context of the site, the development can establish “its own character, and that the modern apartment block development design concept would have a positive impact, in particular on views into the site from the Dargle River”.