Activist Ali Hewson and other Killiney residents have won their planning battle in trying to halt a luxury residential scheme for the grounds of Montebello House.
This follows An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) refusing planning permission to Covelo Developments Ltd to construct four “very large” two-storey, four-bedroom flat-roofed houses for Killiney Hill Road..
In April, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council refused planning permission after Ms Hewson and choreographer Morleigh Steinberg (wives of U2 band members Bono and The Edge), lodged objections against the scheme.
In total, 37 submissions were lodged by local residents with the council.
RM Block
However, Covelo Developments Ltd lodged a first party appeal with ACP against the council refusal.
Echoing the council’s sole ground for refusal, ACP has refused planning permission as the housing density planned for the scheme “would represent underdevelopment of an accessible site with convenient access to frequent public transport services via Killiney Dart Station and facilities in the nearby neighbourhood centre”.
The ACP ruling now leaves the way open for Covelo to lodge fresh plans for increased housing on the site. ACP inspector Siobhan Carroll suggested an alternative of terraced housing to achieve the required housing density.
During the course of a 48-page inspector’s report, Ms Carroll pointed out that the proposed scheme of four houses on the 0.4611 hectare site equates to a density of circa 8.7 units per hectare.
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She stated that the site could be developed at a higher density without undue impact upon the character and setting of Montebello House, a protected structure.
In her objection, when the application was before the council, Ms Hewson stated: “The proposed, very modern style of the four houses appears to be inconsistent with the existing architectural and historical fabric of the area.
“We are concerned that this development, by way of its very modern style, flat roofs, and its use of materials could be significantly out of character with the prevailing architectural styles of the surrounding properties.”
