An Bord Pleanála approves €360m north Dublin housing scheme

An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to contentious plans for a €360 million housing development near Donabate in north Dublin.

The appeals board has granted a 10-year planning permission to Aledo Donabate Ltd for the 1,323-unit scheme on a site close to the Dublin-Belfast rail line.

The Corballis East strategic housing development (SHD) is thought to be the second biggest such scheme in the State, second only to the 1,600-unit Holy Cross development in Drumcondra.

Aledo Donabate initially lodged plans in August 2021 for 1,365 units for a site 250m south of Donabate town centre and about 50m south of Donabate train station.

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The appeals board granted planning permission despite some local opposition and a recommendation from Fingal County Council planners to refuse planning permission.

Documents released by the appeals board show that the inspector in the case, Rachel Gleave O’Connor, initially recommended a refusal to the scheme in November 2021 as part of a 166-page report on the case.

However, instead of issuing a refusal, the appeals board directed that an oral hearing be held into the grounds of refusal by Ms Gleave O’Connor.

Part of the grounds of refusal issued by Ms Gleave O’Connor was the impact the scheme would have on the operation of the Dublin-Belfast railway.

In response to Ms Gleave O’Connor’s concerns, the developers lodged revised plans and the board has omitted 42 units from the overall permission in the interests of the safe operation of the Dublin-Belfast rail line and also in the interests of visual and residential amenity.

The permitted scheme comprises 625 apartments, 352 duplex apartments and 346 houses on a 43-hectare site.

The scheme will provide 132 social and affordable homes at an estimated cost of €35.8 million with the average estimated cost of each home at €271,646.

With planning permission now granted, the developers and Fingal County Council can now enter formal negotiations on reaching a final price on the social and affordable homes.