THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR Joseph O’Connor and several of his neighbours in south Dublin have lost a planning battle over a new housing development at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac of Victorian houses.

An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to grant planning permission for the construction of two flat-roofed dwellings at Shanganagh Terrace, Killiney, Co Dublin.

It rejected appeals by seven different parties including O’Connor and his wife, Anne-Marie Casey – a screenwriter, novelist and TV producer – as well as a local environmental group against the council’s approval for the development.

The owners of the property, Elaine O’Hora and Suvi Harris, are seeking to build two new houses on the 0.14-hectare site – a two-storey, three-bedroom property and a two-bedroom bungalow – which also requires the demolition of four existing sheds.

The board also disagreed with its own planning inspector who recommended that planning permission should be refused for the larger of the two houses due to the “unacceptably low provision of quality open space” but that the bungalow was acceptable.

The proposed development was opposed by several other residents of Shanganagh Terrace including O’Connor and his wife.

In their appeal, the couple claimed the proposed development with four car parking spaces would exacerbate traffic congestion on Shanganagh Terrace which would impact on traffic safety on the narrow cul-de-sac which has no footpath.

They claimed it would also impact on the quality of Shanganagh Terrace as a conservation area as the proposed addition of two houses would constitute overdevelopment of a restricted site.

A consultant acting for O’Connor and Casey stated: “The current lack of parking spaces means there are frequent issues with accessibility for refuse collection vehicles and delivery trucks.”

The consultant claimed it would also affect the quality of the terrace, which predominantly contains mid-Victorian houses, as a conservation area.

The couple’s appeal pointed out that planning permission was refused in 2016 for the development of a single house on the same site because of its negative impact on the residential amenities of the area.

They accused council planners of showing inconsistency by approving the latest planning application which involves a larger development at the same location.

The couple also expressed concern that one of the proposed houses would overshadow their property which was likely to result in a reduction in the value of their home.

Similar issues were raised by other residents in the area, while the Ballybrack Church Lane Environmental Group claimed the potential impacts of a wastewater connection for the development had not been assessed.

However, An Bord Pleanála ruled that the proposed development would not adversely impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties either by overshadowing, overlooking or being of overbearing appearance.

The board also determined that it would not significantly detract from the character of the surrounding area.

Explaining its decision for rejecting the recommendation of its own inspector, the board said the amount of open space in the development was in excess of both national and local standards.

It said the contemporary design of the new dwellings in terms of their scale and height was in line with the objectives relating to Architectural Conservation Areas contained in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2022-2028.

The board also concluded that the development would not significantly endanger public safety by creating a traffic hazard or obstruction for road users.

O’Connor, who is the brother of singer Sinead O’Connor who died last year, has written many best-selling novels including Star of the Sea, Ghost Light and Shadowplay.

His latest book, My Father’s House, which was published earlier this year, is based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, an Irish priest in the Vatican who helped to save thousands of prisoners during the Nazi occupation of Rome.