O'Malley Construction's second attempt to build a residential development at the former Bank of Ireland sports grounds at Knockrabo in Goatstown, Dublin 14, has failed.
An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for the 129-unit housing scheme because the scheme adjoins a reservation for a major road development, the Sandyford to Saint Helen's link, which has yet to be finalised by the National Roads Authority.
Two years ago a similar scheme by O'Malley Construction for 159-units was refused on the same grounds.
The developer was seeking to build 103 apartments in six blocks and 26 houses on the two-hectare site, which was formerly the Bank of Ireland sports ground located off Mount Anville Road, Goatstown.
Last Christmas Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council refused permission for the most recent scheme. The sole reason for refusal related to the location of the site immediately adjacent to the reservation for the major road development.
The developer appealed this decision to the planning board and argued that changes had been made to the scheme to ensure that no part of the development encroached on the road reservation, and to provide an increased separation distance between the buildings and the site boundary.
A two-metre high embankment was also provided between the apartment blocks and the reservation to provide "wriggle room" to facilitate the levels for the exit slip road from the proposed interchange, it argued.
An Bord Pleanála, however, has now upheld the council's decision and refused the scheme.
A spokeswoman for the Galway developer expressed the firm's "frustration" at the decision, pointing out that the land has been zoned residential for some time.
She said, however, that aside from the road issues, the planning board was "positive" about the scheme.
Niall Mellon's Knockrabo Developments was refused permission to build over 360 units on an adjoining site of over six hectares in 2005. He expects to submit a new planning application for a slightly smaller scheme shortly.
Pointing out that there is "so little land available in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown constituency", he said it is a "shame" that the development of a whole site should be held up because a small part of it may be affected by a proposed road.
Mellon bought the site from Michael Roden's Merrion Property Group for €50 million in 2003 and subsequently sold a portion of it to O'Malley Construction. An Bord Pleanála previously blocked a plan by that group to build almost 600 apartments and houses on the site.
