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A FINAL GRANT of planning approval has been issued to U2′s The Edge for a new family home in Sorrento Road in Dalkey in south Dublin – 23 years after his first planning attempt for the same site.
The Edge can now press ahead with his plans to renovate and build a three level extension to his Sorrento Cottage property on the Vico Road and Sorrento Road site which overlooks Killiney Bay with the final grant of approval coming through.
Last month, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council granted planning permission to David Evans for the scheme and there was the risk that the decision could have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála – and the plan put on hold – as there was one third party submission on the planning file.
However, the Council has now issued The Edge with the final approval after no appeals were lodged allowing the U2 guitarist to press ahead with his redevelopment plan.
The Edge only lodged his planning application on 19 September and the smooth sailing of his current application in three months is in marked contrast to his previous application for the site which took three years to make its way through the planning and legal process.
In December 2000, David Evans lodged plans for the Sorrento Cottage revamp and the Council granted planning permission in January 2001.
However, that Council decision was the spark for a long running planning battle that ended up in the High Court.
An Taisce appealed against the Council decision in February 2001 with An Bord Pleanála refusing planning permission in October 2001.
In refusing planning permission, the appeals board dismissed a recommendation by its own inspector to grant planning permission and Evans took a High Court judicial review of the appeals board refusal and in November 2003, the High Court upheld the An Bord Pleanála decision.
In relation to the new planning application, the planner’s report concluded that the proposal would not adversely impact on the residential amenity of adjacent properties by reason of overshadowing, overlooking or overbearing appearance.
The planner’s report also found that the proposed development “would not significantly detract from the character and the provisions of the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan”.
The report stated that the proposal has adopted a sensitive and contemporary design approach which respects the established character of the area.
The report also concluded that the extension elements over three storeys “have taken into consideration the visual amenity of the receiving environment’s landscape attributes and features”.
The report states that the development “also benefits from the proposed extensive use of green roofs” and “this will have a camouflaging the built form of the extension when viewed from surrounding areas.
Only one submission was made to the Council by a third party and local, Michael Shiell who told the Council of his concerns over the scheme’s planned fencing by stating that “this area is a special amenities area and must be protected and not turned, externally into a prison camp”.
In response, the Council included a condition that the boundary walls will be maintained at their existing height.
The new “innovative” scheme by ODAA Architects includes a recording studio and a separate bath-house containing a plunge pool and sauna.
Sorrento Cottage has been vacant since the mid-1990s and ODAA Architects told the council that their brief “was to bring the existing structure back into use as our client’s primary dwelling”.
ODAA Architects told the council that they have adopted a sensitive approach to the refurbishment of the existing residential structure and the design of the new additions, commenting that “the proposed development will have a positive impact on the visual character of the area”.
The plan for the 2.75 acre site – which his located adjacent to Sorrento Terrace – is to also include a security hut and planning documents lodged with the application state that a key aspect of the proposal “will be to meet the unique safety needs of the Evans family associated with the high profile profession of Evans. It is mandatory that a 24-hour security is provided on site”.
The report stated that the site’s “largely secluded location” as it is bounded by Killiney Bay “meets the needs of the Evans family over similarly sized properties in the area”.
The Thornton O’Connor Town report stated that the internal reconfiguration work of Sorrento Cottage “will provide high quality residential amenity spaces for the Evans family including an open plan kitchen diner with a connected living area”.
In a separate comprehensive 45-page planning report by Thornton O’Connor Town Planning, Director at the consultancy, Sadhbh O’Connor told the Council that the proposed extension and renovation “will ultimately provide a high-quality and carefully designed family home that appropriately responds to the sensitive environment in which it is sited”.
O’Connor has stated that the scheme’s retained design team for the newly proposed development addresses the reasons for refusal by An Bord Pleanála to the previous scheme.
O’Connor stated that the main extension and refurbished and renovated house incorporates a range of rooms, including six ensuite bedrooms, living and lounge rooms, kitchen and dining rooms, study and studio spaces. The scheme also includes an archive room.
The proposed development also includes the demolition of a number of structures on site including single-storey extensions, a greenhouse, a detached garage and external stores.
O’Connor has told the council that “the provision of a high-quality extension over three levels, integrated into the landscape, to make use of a currently vacant and under-utilised dwelling in an accessible location” according with national planning policy.
O’Connor stated that the scheme will bring a currently vacant dwelling back into habitable use and occupation.
The Edge assembled a team of experts from nine separate planning and engineering firms to advance the plan and the new scheme has evolved over the last two years as O’Connor lodged her first pre-planning report on the plan with the Council in August 2021.
Can I exhale yet? I’ve been holding my breath.
Interesting that FF Bruiser Gallagher didn’t do as well as one might expect in his home turf. They obviously know their own! Thanks be to jaysus.
Guess the young lads he is alleged to have let go from his employment, because he said he did not have the money to pay them, (only to appear on Dragon’s Den sometime later), might not have voted for him!!
He did better in Tipp North, but they are used to a different political culture there.
It hard to pick a candidate from this bunch. The gunman has the most political experience but there’s probably a list of countries where we cant send him cos he’s barred. Tinker/liar/dragon/spy is a reality show lightweight. Dana is clueless (can’t tell a flat tire from an assassination attempt). I narrowed it down to Mickey D on the basis that he wont live long after leaving office and we will save on the pension.
In this instance, it matters that SG doesn’t get elected.
Proud to have Michael D represent this country.
Of course our choice of figurehead is IMportant. It tells the world who we are. The President is our number one ORDINARY citizen – above corruption, politics and deceit.
The result of this election is one we should all be proud of. People were been swayed towards Sean because the impression we were given was a businessman who was independent of the the various parties and that whole culture of a nods as good as a wink. In the end it was revealed that whilst he could not be put in the same bracket entirely he was cut from a similar cloth. Indeed in the end he was a business man chancing his arm and didn’t even have that political wit to get himself out of a pretty serious quandary. We then opted for a seasoned old diplomat who gave us all the impression that he cares for our little land and has no other interest apart from ours. We are not the worst little auld country and we have appointed a nice old soul to be our ambassador. Happy with that I am.
It matters more to Bryan Dobson, Vincent Browne, Sean Whelan, U O’Halligan & all the TV people because it gives them something to talk about.
Not to mention the pollsters!! :(
Sean Whelan comments on economic not political matters. Think u should have been referring to the 2 David’s – namely Davin Power & McCullough.
We had something else to talk about – the proposal to introduce constitutional amendments that will have more of an impact on pur lives than the presidential elections – but the political will was not there to schedule that.
Right about the pollsters, I think it’s called an attempted coup. Will someone investigate the polling companies please? Gallagher never had 40%
@fitszpatrick. John Bowman has mentioned that, when the election is over, there should be a discussion about these polls. Also, comments such as “It is now a two horse race” are not fair to the other candidates. There is a very good article about this subject, written by John Waters, in The Irish Times today!
The President is an important ceremonial position imo. It’s v.important that we are represented well abroad, look at the great job Mary McAlysse & Mary Robison did for us. We need someone good to represent us, more now that ever before as our name has been tarnished the world over.
Thank god we didn’t elect the crook or the ‘former’ terrorist, either would have been a disgrace.
“Important ceremonial position”, lol…!! Yeah, like McAleese bowing + scraping to the women oppressors/terrorist funders in Saudi Arabia,! AND by the way, they,(President of Irl), ALWAYS travel with an entourage,(well ok, hangers-on), of around SIXTY,!! Waste of space and money.
Didn’t the first Mary resign before the end of her first term for a better paid stint at the UN? Did the current Mary not side with the government when they decided to tax our pensions. I don’t think either Mary was on the side of teh people.
Kudos to The Journal for all of the excellent #Aras11 coverage, polls, commentary and never losing sight of the humour on the fringes of a national campaign. Brilliant job. Well done.
“We haven’t gone away you know”,! Gallagher,(thank God), latest victim of PIRA (non,?),violence. Good riddance to ALL the cute hoors,! Anyway this “position” is about as relevant as San Marino’s foreign policy. Overpaid and over-indulged figurehead. Can’t think why ANY of candidates ran for it.
Don’t even attempt to use the “Seán Gallagher” and “victim” in the same sentence. Unless you’re saying “Seán Gallagher was the victim of his own cute hoor tactics. He, and his party, aren’t as clever as they think they are”
It’s an irrelevant ceremonial role.
Congrats to President M D Higgins Labour in the Park about time after 100 Years, CREAM for 2016, The Socialists of 1916 must be smiling, DELIGHTED I BE and glad that we did not get the CLOSET F F er.
A great day for socialist Ireland – albeit a soft left. But I’ll take anything rather than any more of the civil war politics that has divided and continues to divide my country for so long.
Too soft of the Left
Michael D is the hardest one in there. I always liked him. Anyway a soft left is better than a “glass of water” right every day of the week. The socialist slated the dragon. Omg I’m so happy.
That was meant to be slayed the dragon. MMcG slated him!!!
The president is an important figurehead & influencer at home & abroad. This campaign was hijacked to express the national dissatisfaction with the austerity measures imposed due to our collective overindulgence during the boom. Pity, as we will have Michael D in situ for the next 7 years :(
What matters most is that Sean Gallagher doesn’t shnake his way into office!
Exactly, this one was certainly important. It was about letting the cute hoors know that their day is done.
Sorry Caroline, but I think that it was less an indictment of “collective overindulgence” and more an indictment of the gombeen men’s brown envelope culture. This wasn’t a “hijack”, it’s a reflection of the most pressing issue facing our polity.
Aside from this, I do think that Michael D will make a fine President.
Dead Right, thank God gallagher didn’t lie his FF little but into the Aras
An influencer????
Speak for yourself, Caroline O’Reilly. This idea that we ALL overindulged is BS. Maybe you overindulged, the developers overindulged, the politicians overindulged. I didn’t overindulge and I’m not gonna take the rap for the idiots that fucked up this country and the even more idiotic ones who supported them all the way and only criticise them now when its fashionable.
Fianna failed are well and truly finished now and they should all resign and emigrate never to return to the land they pillaged.
So Gallagher was “shell shocked” on Frontline,? S’pose he’ll now be looking for a clinic that treats PESD,= Post Election Stress Disorder. Oh, God forgive me,but I’m wallowing in HAPPINESS at his,(AND Norris’s), humiliation.
You are not alone Charles in your delight.Lol PESD
Imagine we put in a man over 70 as our president, the most important job in the country, yet a civil servant must retire at 65 and a Garda at 60 (used to be 57). No wonder all the young people are leaving the country and when u see gay Byrne taking up the front page of to days Independent at 77 putting on the poor mouth what chance have the younger generation got with attitudes like this?
Firstly its not the most important job in this country. Secondly age is a non-issue in regards to the post except in the way that with age comes experience and wisdom,especially in this case. Haven’t heard of too many civil servants or Gardai complain about having to retire with a handy pension either too be honest.
With the pension age gone up to 68 and counting, be careful what you wish for.
I’ve spoken with MDH many times and i know that we can be proud as a nation to have him as our no.1 citizen. He loves our history (and knows the non revisionist versions) our land our wit our Arts our youth and is very confident about our future. He will herald a new recently lost positivity as he represents us abroad and is an intellect to be reckoned with internationally.
Should have been a bigger margin imho and SH shouldn’t be on the radar at all… The power of tv you guys! Be careful who controls ur media… mostly south Dublin attitudes allowed to prevail on RTÉ in Times etc. Does that represent YOU? (If so…fine for u)
Maith thú Éireann agus comhgairdeas ar aon nós :)
Bit of a silly poll to be running on a site thats covered the election extensively for months.
Seriously, another poll??? Are we not polled out at this stage?
Nah, Michelle, we LOVE “poll” dancin,!
Love that for weeks all we see is aras11 lighting up our social media and traditional media as if everyone is really interested. then when its over everyone is like nah its irrelevant. haha
Depends where your guy/girl finished, I guess.
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