377 residential units in the form of houses, duplex units and apartment blocks, have been proposed for lands to the west of Millers Glen and border the Rathbeale Rd.
The development is part of the wider Mooretown/Oldtown area which has had a Local Area Plan since 2011.
The application describesthis development as the Oldtown SHD and the full set of plans can be seen at https://www.oldtownshd.ie/
This proposal is coming forward as a Strategic Housing Development (SHD) and involves greater densities than the original plan had allowed for.
This is the second SHD whose plans have been revealed for the Swords area in recent weeks – the other being the Lord Mayors site.
There are two others which are due to be published soon – the site at Holybanks near the old Motorola factory and the second phase of the Fosterstown development near Rivervalley.
Commenting on the latest SHD, Cllr Ian Carey said:
“Again we are seeing big numbers of residential units being proposed. This is a large dense development being planned for the edge of Swords. New residents in the area will not have easy access to the village from where they are. We need to make sure the transport provision for walking and cycling in the area is of the highest standard because if people are locked into car use then the whole town will grind to a halt.
“I also have strong concerns about the lack of childcare facilities being planned for. There is one childcare facility being proposed for the site. Based on conservative estimates of how many people will be living in the area we can expect over 700 people. They are going to need a lot more than one creche.
“My main concern is about amenities and investment in the town as a whole. We really need to keep pace with the population increases we are likely to see. We need better provision in transport, childcare, healthcare as well as parks, cultural and sporting facilities.”
The site notice reads as follows:
We, Gerard Gannon Properties, intend to apply to An Bord Pleanála for permission for a strategic housing development at lands to the north of Rathbeale Road and to the west of and north of Miller’s Avenue and Glen Ellan Road, Oldtown, Swords, Co. Dublin, with associated engineering works on lands locally known as the Celestica/Motorola site, junction of Glen Ellan Road and Balheary Road, and at/on Balheary Road, Swords, Co. Dublin.
The development will consist of the removal of the temporary site office/site compound structures on site and the construction of a total of 377 no. residential units (173 no. houses, 134 no. apartments, and 70 no. duplex units [comprising 35 no. duplex ‘house’ units and 35 no. duplex ‘apartment’ units]), and 1 no. childcare facility, all of which will be provided as follows:
- 173 no. residential houses (9 no. 2 bed houses, 147 no. 3 bed houses, and 17 no. 4 bed houses) in semi-detached, end-terraced, and mid-terraced houses ranging from two to three storey in height;
- Duplex Block A containing a total of 18 no. units comprising of 9 no. 1 bed units, 8 no. 2 bed units, and 1 no. 3 bed unit, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Duplex Block B containing a total of 8 no. units comprising of 4 no. 1 bed units and 4 no. 2 bed units, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Duplex Block C containing a total of 8 no. units comprising of 4 no. 1 bed units and 4 no. 2 bed units, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Duplex Block D containing a total of 20 no. units comprising of 10 no. 1 bed units, 9 no. 2 bed units, and 1 no. 3 bed unit, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Duplex Block E containing a total of 8 no. units comprising of 4 no. 1 bed units and 4 no. 2 bed units, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Duplex Block F containing a total of 8 no. units comprising of 4 no. 1 bed units and 4 no. 2 bed units, in a building three storeys in height, and all units provided with private balconies/terraces; car parking and bicycle spaces, and bin stores;
- Apartment Block A containing a total of 48 no. units comprising of 18 no. 1 bed units and 30 no. 2 bed units with all units provided with private balconies/terraces, in a building four to five storeys in height, with internal bicycle stores, bin stores and plant rooms at ground floor level; car parking within the parking court, the undercroft and on-street, and bicycle parking;
- Apartment Block B1 containing a total of 32 no. units comprising of 17 no. 1 bed units and 15 no. 2 bed units with all units provided with private balconies/terraces, in a building four to five storeys in height, with internal bicycle stores, bin stores and plant rooms at ground floor level; car parking within the parking court, the undercroft and on-street, and bicycle parking;
- Apartment Block B2 containing a total of 32 no. units comprising of 17 no. 1 bed units and 15 no. 2 bed units with all units provided with private balconies/terraces, in a building four to five storeys in height, with internal bicycle stores, bin stores and plant rooms at ground floor level; car parking within the parking court, the undercroft and on-street, and bicycle parking;
- Apartment Block C containing a total of 22 no. units comprising of 11 no. 1 bed units and 11 no. 2 bed units with all units provided with private balconies/terraces, in a building four to five storeys in height, with internal bicycle stores, bin stores and plant rooms at ground floor level; car parking within the parking court, the undercroft and on-street, and bicycle parking;
- 1 no. childcare facility in a one to a two-storey building, with associated outdoor play area, car parking and drop-off/visitor parking, bicycle parking, and bin stores.
The development will provide for a total of 600 no. car parking spaces within the scheme; a total of 440 no. bicycle spaces serving the apartments, duplexes and childcare facility; the completion of Meadowbank Road adjoining Park Avenue; new vehicular accesses onto Miller’s Avenue; proposed upgrades to the public realm including footpaths, landscaping including play equipment, boundary treatments, and public lighting; and all associated engineering and site works necessary to facilitate the development including the proposed stormwater storage tank and overflow outfall gravity sewer to the Broadmeadow River with associated manholes on lands locally known as the Celestica/Motorola site, junction of Glen Ellan Road and Balheary Road, and at/on Balheary Road, along with the proposed vehicular/service access onto Balheary Road, Swords.
The application contains a statement setting out how the proposal will be consistent with the objectives of the Fingal Development Plan 2017-2023.
The application contains a statement indicating why permission should be granted for the proposed development, having regard to a consideration specified in section 37(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, notwithstanding that the proposed development materially contravenes a relevant development plan or local area plan other than in relation to the zoning of the land.
