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An Bord Pleanala recently considered an appeal from local elected representatives and a local residents association to grant partial permission for a housing scheme of 74 units (58 permitted) close to Adamstown in Lucan, South County Dublin. The appeal site was zoned residential and their Inspector noted it appears to be the last zoned site of significant size in this area outside of the Adamstown STZ.

The Inspector noted that the original proposed development was for 74 units, which equates to a density of just under 30 per hectare. The 54 units granted equates to 24 units per hectare. The 69 units requested by the applicant in his appeal is 28 units per hectare. All these figures were deemed to be far below the ‘minimum’ of 50 units set out in Policy H4 and the related 2009 Guidelines, and very far below the overall density targets in the nearby STZ.

The Inspector therefore concluded that “the use of the site for residential development is in accordance with the zoning objective of the site, but subject to a density requirement of a minimum of 50 dwelling units per hectare, and in accordance with the detailed design and amenity standards as set out in the development plan (section 1.4), the 2009 Sustainable Residential Guidelines, DMURS and other related national and regional guidance … I can see no justification set out in any of the documents that would permit such a significant departure from the policy objectives set out in the development plan and in national statutory guidance”

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