Phibsborough residents oppose 196 unit apartment scheme

Gordon Deegan

Plans to construct a 196 unit apartment scheme at the Old Bakery site in Phibsborough is facing local opposition.

In May, Bindford Ltd lodged plans for the proposal for Cross Guns Bridge, Phibsborough that is to include 118 Build to Sell apartments and 78 Build to Rent apartments within three blocks ranging in height from three to 12 storeys.

Dublin City Council has received over 30 third party submissions concerning the Large Scale Residential Development (LRD).

One of the submissions is from the Leinster, Ulster and Munster Streets Residents Association and the submission has the support of scores of households in Phibsborough.

A planning report lodged with the application states that the applicant has reduced the 100 per cent build to rent component from a previous proposal for the site to 60 per cent for the new scheme.

The report states that the site currently contains a number of unattractive buildings and what is proposed is “an attractive residential development on a zoned serviced site”.

The McGill Planning report states that the applicants are seeking a seven-year planning permission to account for the prospect of a legal challenge as a previous permission was subject to a legal challenge.

The McGill Planning report adds that the impact of the proposal will improve the character of the area “from the neglected industrial character that currently pervades”.

The report states that Bindford Ltd is anxious to develop the lands “as the site has been targeted for site activation measures, including vacant site levy and residential zoned land tax”.

In his objection, Cllr Seamus McGrattan (SF) contends that the apartment blocks “are completely over-scaled for the location, in comparison to the canal and the wider area of Phibsborough Road and surrounding residential streets”.

Cllr McGrattan stated that the development “due to its excessive height and massing, will have a huge negative impact on the Royal Canal”.

Former Environment editor at The Irish Times, Frank McDonald has lodged a submission in support of the residents' objections.

Mr McDonald has told the council that “this LRD application is the second attempt by Bindford Ltd to foist a grossly over-scaled scheme on the residents of Leinster Street and environs as well as the wider Phibsborough area”.

He said: "The first was defeated by sustained community effort, culminating in the high-handed permission granted by An Bord Pleanála being quashed by the High Court.”

Mr McDonald has urged the Council to refuse permission because of the development’s overbearing impact on the area