Strategic Housing Development application at Windmill estate

A planning application has been submitted by Kimpton Vale Ltd for 211 apartments in four blocks, ranging in height from six to eight storeys, at the Windmill estate, beside St. Mochtas. It is proposed that there will be 10 studio units, 68 1 bed units and 133 2 bed units. You can see the plans at the developers website www.windmillshd.ie

I have major concerns about this application in terms of the size and scale of what is being proposed. There is already planning permission on this site for 143 apartments. Increasing this by 68 units is excessive.Because the development is for more than 100 units of housing, the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process applies. This means that the application is decided directly by An Bord Pleanala – Fingal County Council does not decide the planning application.However, the Fingal planners must present the planning application to local councillors under the Strategic Housing Development law and we then have the opportunity to highlight our concerns to the planners. This took place at our Council meeting today. You can watch my own comments here.

My own submission focused on 1) the overall excessive and inappropriate nature of this development 2) why an emergency entrance into St. Mochta’s estate was being required 3) the lack of childcare facilities in the proposed development 4) the existing pressure on local primary schools 5) the fact that existing public transport networks are unable to absorb large numbers of extra commuters.

The deadline for submissions to An Bord Pleanala is 14th January 2020. Any person may make a submission in writing to: An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1. Any submission or observation must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20.

If you would like to discuss these or any other issue with me, please get in touch.