DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has given the green light for a scaled back Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) for Richmond Rd on a site close to the Tolka River on Dublin’s northside.

Earlier this year, Malkey Ltd lodged plans for a 133-apartment, ten-storey development including three separate buildings on the site of the former Leydens Wholesalers & Distributors, Richmond Road, Dublin 3.

Now, the city council has granted planning permission for the scheme – but only after ordering the removal of the top two storeys of the ten storey blocks and reducing the nine storey block to seven storeys.

As a result, the number of apartments has been reduced from 133 units to 107 units made up of 55 one-bed units and 57 two-bed units.

The Council has reduced the height of the scheme to eight storeys “in the interest of visual amenity of the streetscape and protection of residential amenities of the wider area”.

The planner’s report in the case stated that the proposed development is located at an appropriately zoned and serviced inner suburban brownfield redevelopment site within reasonable proximity of good quality public transport and forms part of a cluster of higher density taller buildings. 

The report states that subject to the reduction in heights of two blocks “to better account for context and setting the proposed development would not impact unduly on existing residential amenities and which would contribute to the built character of the area and would not detract from the visual amenity of the streetscape or the setting of Distillery Lofts”.

The planner’s report states the proposed development would not cause serious injury to the residential amenities of the area and would be consistent with both the provisions of the current development plan.

Malkey Ltd is a subsidiary, Malkey Ltd of Roscommon native, Michal Cox’s UK based home builder, Hollybrook Homes.

The new scheme represents Phase 2 of an overall development where a Hollybrook Homes connected firm has a proposed Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme for 183 ‘build to rent’ units currently before An Bord Pleanala.

The scheme faced some local opposition and in an objection signed by more than 30 residents, it raised traffic concerns over the proposal contending that “the large scale of this development will also have a huge impact on the traffic, congestion and personal safety to the existing residents due to ongoing poor condition of the very narrow Richmond Road”.