A planning application has been lodged by a private developer for the lands encompassing the former St Pauls swimming pool on Sybil Hill. The proposal includes a number of apartment blocks ranging from 4 storey to 8 storey in height.

This in my view is over-intensive development of the site, particularly in the context of the characteristics of the surrounding neighbourhood (The Meadows – 2 storey houses and the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home across the road). It is difficult to see how this application is consistent with the current zoning of the lands concerned (Z15 – Institutional Land).

I have organised a planning information meeting on the application (ref 3074/10) in Civic Offices on the 9th July and also requested that it be presented to the Area Committee on the 19th July.  I will be supporting local residents in their opposition to this proposal.

Further details of the application are as follows:

Planning permission is sought for the demolition of 3no. habitable dwellings at 1, 1A and 1B Sybil Hill Road, their boundary walls front and rear, the erection of new boundary treatments on Sybil Hill Road, the retention of the existing boundary with the adjoining St. Pauls school to the south, Kare Social Services Centre to the north and the Meadows development to the east and north, the erection of 98no. dwellings consisting of 8no. two storey 3 bedroom terraced houses, 4no. one bedroom apartments, 78no. two bedroom and 10no. three bedroom apartments, plus balconies, terraces and roof gardens, in 1no. two storey terrace and 2no. buildings varying in height from four to eight storeys (comprising three storeys plus penthouse to seven storeys plus penthouse), a crèche facility of 181sqm and associated playground on the ground floor of Block B, a community/cafe facility of 128sqm and associated garden/terrace on the ground floor of Block B, a basement car park containing 119 basement car spaces, boiler house, bin store, bicycle storage for 96 bicycles and ancillary facilities, the closing of four existing site entrance and the creation of two new site entrances on Sybil Hill Road (a ramped entrance to the basement car park and a fire service & pedestrian entrance), and an ESB sub-station and switch room facility on Sybil Hill Road and associated landscape works on .68 hectares at no. 1, 1A and 1B (and to the rear of same) Sybil Hill Road, Raheny, Dublin 5, a site bounded by St. Pauls School to the south, Sybil Hill Road to the west, The Meadows residential development to the east and north and the Kare Social Services Centre to the north.