Hines to lodge plans for 1,614 apartments on grounds of Clonliffe College

US property group Hines Real Estate is to lodge fast-track plans to construct 1,614 apartments on the grounds of Clonliffe College, Drumcondra, on Dublin’s northside.

The company’s Irish arm last year entered into pre-planning consultation with An Bord Pleanála on the scheme. The scheme then comprised of 1,635 apartments that included 1,308 build-to-rent units.

However, in the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) plans to be formally lodged with the appeals board in the coming days, the development is now entirely made up of 1,614 build-to-rent apartments on the 22-acre site.

Hines has already committed to allocating 20 per cent of the apartments for both social and affordable housing.

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Consultation

The planning notice for the scheme published on Wednesday confirmed that the development is to be made up of 12 apartment blocks ranging from two to 18 storeys.

The apartments are made up of 540 studios, 603 one-bed units, 418 two-beds and 53 three-bed units.

The 18-storey block is to house 191 units and Hines has previously stated that, subject to planning, it hopes to commence construction in the first quarter of 2022 and construction work will continue until mid-2025.

The GAA sold the land to Hines in 2019 after it had purchased the 31.8 acres of Clonliffe College for €95 million.

As part of the pre-planning for the Clonliffe scheme, An Bord Pleanála informed Hines earlier this year that their plans could require further consideration or amendment.

During the pre-planning consultation, Dublin City Council planners expressed concern over the height, bulk and massing of the higher elements of the scheme.

The council planners also expressed concern over the then unit mix with an over-concentration of studio and one-bed accommodation.

Application

The council said that the Hines application should be looking to create a long-term and stable community.

In response, Hines said that the proposed development responds to the demand and demographic of the area where 51 per cent of households are either single occupancy or couples without children.

Hines said that the unit mix is future-proofed and the design can respond to market demand where two one-bed units could be converted into three-bed units.

The company has held information briefings with the local community and politicians on its plans for Clonliffe College.

An Bord Pleanála will make a decision on the SHD application in the final quarter of this year.