Plans by Garvagh Homes for a 12-storey apartment tower on the site of the former State cinema in Phibsborough in Dublin 7 are facing strong local opposition.
The developer is seeking to demolish the 1950s cinema building that was most recently used as a Des Kelly Carpets showroom and construct the 12-storey tower made up of 96 apartments featuring 23 studios, 25 one bed, 47 two bed and 1 three-bedroom apartments.
Consultants for Garvagh Homes, Manahan Planners have told Dublin City Council that the high density scheme for 168 and169 Phibsborough Road is consistent with guidelines in relation to residential density.
On the scheme’s 12-storey height, the planning consultants state the proposal integrates appropriately with its surroundings. Manahan Planners said the height “takes cognisance of the scale, height and proximity of neighbouring properties”.
They claim the design and scale makes a positive contribution to the urban neighbourhood.
Submissions
However, 20 submissions have been made concerning the scheme with the vast majority opposed to the plan.
The submissions include a number from local residents’ associations.
The BLEND Residents’ Association has told the Council that the site is overdeveloped both in terms of density and height.
The association states that the height and bulk of the scheme “will throw sections of the North Circular Road and the park into almost perpetual shadow”.
The Connaught Street Residents Association has told the Council that the proposed landmark section of the apartment complex at 12 storeys “is excessive with little or no justification for this”.
On behalf of the Dublin Association of An Taisce, Kevin Duff has told the city council that the scheme is over-scaled and over-massed and would severely undermine the ordered and coherent historic layout, scale and structure of Phibsborough village.
Mr Duff stated that significant revisions to the scheme are required after stating that the proposal does not respond appropriately to the location and, due to its height and bulk, would overwhelm the surroundings and fail to assimilate into the historic village centre.
Former Environment Editor with The Irish Times, Frank McDonald has described the proposal as ‘overblown’, telling the Council in a submission “more housing in Phibsborough must be welcomed, but not at any price”.
