Development will make city look like Shanghai say outraged residents
OPPONENTS to a high density retail and residential plan more suitable "to Shanghai than Dublin" have moved to block the proposal.
The ambitious blueprint, which aims to transform the Naas Road's industrial zone into an upmarket avenue, received a partial thumbs-up from Dublin City Council last month.
The Fitzwilliam Partnership wants to construct the development at the Royal Liver Retail Park.
While the higher elements of the project were turned down, the local authority approved much of the scheme. Permission was granted for retail, residential and commercial units in a plan which could see part of the clogged-up dual carriageway renamed Naas Boulevard.
However, the council refused permission for a vital element of the proposal -- a 26-storey skyscraper.
Nevertheless, local group, the Concerned Residents of Bluebell, has appealed the council's decision to An Bord Pleanala in a bid to have the whole project overturned.
tower
Fitzwilliam has also appealed the local authority's ruling as it seeks to have its plans for the 26-storey tower reinstated. The council rejected the skyscraper plans "having regard to the lack of a sufficient policy framework for a building of 26 storeys in this location".
Planners said it "would be contrary to the provisions of the current Dublin City Development Plan and to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".
Referring to the refusal of permission for Block D, the local authority said the plans would have resulted "in a poor standard of residential amenity" to units in the building due to its "proximity to the heavily trafficked Naas Road".
Four blocks, B, C, E and F, got the go ahead in their entirety.
The original proposal led to a flood of complaints from residents and councillors. Local representatives branded the high density scheme as being more appropriate to Shanghai than suburban Dublin.
- Cormac Murphy
