THE CONTENTIOUS SITE near St Anne’s Park in Rahney, Dublin has been blocked from use for housing following a vote by Dublin City Councillors last night. 

Councillors yesterday voted to zone the 16.5 acre site on lands to the east of St Paul’s College at Sybil Hill as Z9 open space. 

Under Dublin City Council’s definition, the objective of Z9 zoning is to “preserve, provide and improve recreational amenity and open space and green networks”. 

This now means that the space has the same status as the rest of St Anne’s Park and housing will not be permitted on the site. 

The site beside St Anne’s Park has long been the subject of contention, with a number of housing applications being made in recent years. 

Last year, the High Court overturned a planning permission for 657 dwellings on the site. 

Last month, one of the country’s largest building firms, the Marlet Group confirmed it is to lodge plans in the coming days with Dublin City Council for 580 apartments and a 100 bed nursing home for a 16.5 acre site on lands to the east of St Paul’s College at Sybil Hill, Raheny, Dublin 5.

Dublin City Council last week refused planning permission for the ambitious apartment plan on the sole grounds concerning the Ligh Bellied Brent Goose which usually migrates here from ‘high Arctic’ Canada for the winter months. 

The refusal followed the Council receiving more than 230 objections against the proposal.

The new Z9 city development plan for the site will come into being on 14 December. 

With reporting by Gordon Deegan