DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has refused planning permission to developer Noel Smyth’s Fitzwilliam Real Estate for a 12 storey 159 unit ‘build to rent’ scheme over part of the Arnotts store in Dublin.

The Council has stated that its refusal is supported by a policy in the Dublin City Development Plan that there shall be a general presumption against large scale residential developments which comprise of 100% ‘Built to Rent’ units.

The council has stated “as such, the proposed development would seriously injure the amenities of the area”.

The Council stated that the proposed Build to Rent scheme, which would predominantly comprise one bedroom and studio apartments, would be contrary to a City Development Plan policy aimed at encouraging sustainable residential communities which contain a wide variety of housing and apartment types.

The Council also concluded that the proposed development would, due to its excessive scale and height, appear visually incongruous on the skyline.

The planning authority stated as such the proposal would seriously injure the historic character of the city.

The Council also concluded that the proposed development, due to its excessive height and massing, would result in an inadequate standard of daylight and sunlight amenity within individual apartments.

The local authority also stated that the proposed extension of the opening hours of the existing multi-storey car park would, in the absence of the decommissioning of the 145 car parking associated with the proposed Build to Rent development, encourage unsustainable travel patterns to and from the city centre.

The 22 page Council planner’s report stated that the proposed development does not address a housing need for larger sized dwellings in the Liberties and the North Inner City while Council concerns over daylight and sunlight standards and visual impacts were not satisfactorily addressed by the applicant.

The 159 units are made up of 60 studios, 85 one bedroom apartments and 14 two bedroomed units.

The scheme involves the construction of a 12 storey over basement element fronting Williams’ Lane; a five storey element over Arnotts’ multi-storey car park and a two storey element over Arnott’s store.

The proposal involves the removal of the top three floor levels of Arnotts’ multi-storey car park.

Planning consultants for the scheme, Tom Phillips & Associates contended that the proposed height and density of the scheme is fully supported by national planning policy.

Mr Smyth’s Fitzwilliam Real Estate currently has plans before the Council for a nine storey 245 bedroom hotel for the same site. The Council has sought additional information on the plans.