A COMMUNITY GROUP in Rathmines, Dublin has appealed to An Bord Pleanala the decision to give the go-ahead to a planned shared co-living 97 unit plan for the area.

Blondie Issuer DAC last month secured planning permission for the 97 unit after Dublin City Council reduced the scale of the plan for 143-149 Rathmines Road Lower.

The original application was for a 110 unit development.

Now, two appeals have been lodged against the City Council decision by third parties.

The Council decision last month removed the top floor of the seven storey plan and the applicants have also appealed against conditions attached to the permission.

In their appeal, community group, Rathmines Initiative has told An Bord Pleanala that the proposed co-living units “are the bedsits of our times”.

On behalf of the Rathmines Initiative, Michael Kelly states: “The Rathmines Initiative wonders if the projected market for such units actually exists.”

Kelly asks: “Can any village or township peripheral to Dublin city centre accommodate such a concentration of co-living as proposed for Rathmines without damaging its urban quality and negatively impacting its established community? At some stage, such concentration becomes unsustainable.”

Nicola McMenamin, Adam McMenamin and Lucy McMenamin have also appealed concerning the Council decision to grant.

The individual bedroom units in the proposal vary in size with shared kitchen, dining and living communal facilities on each floor level.

In addition on the ground floor there will be reception, gymnasium, residents’ lounge and laundrette.

The Council’s planning report stated that the development is considered to be acceptable and to comply with the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments-Guidelines.

Planning consultants for the applicants, Manahan Planners told the Council that the conversion and expansion of this disused office building for a shared accommodation development will create a high quality residential development and contribute positively to the development of the Rathmines area.