Minister joins objectors to McKillen’s city plan

DEVELOPERS Paddy McKillen jnr and Matt Ryan face a fresh hurdle in their plans to secure planning permission for apartments, a pub and restaurant at the site of the former Kiely’s pub in Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.

This follows a number of objectors lodging appeals against the decision by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to grant planning permission for the revised plan.

The green light from the council followed the local authority refusing planning permission to an earlier plan last July after it received over 330 objections.

The refusal by the council was upheld by An Bord Pleanála resulting in the developers submitted the revised plan.

The new plan comprises 11 one-bedroom, 30 two-bedroom and nine three-bedroom apart- ments along with the pub and restaurant.

The objectors to lodge individual appeals with An Bord Pleanála against the decision are listed as Donal Kavanagh, Colm Daly and Gerald Cosgrove.

A local TD, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, made a submission with the council voicing her concerns over the plan.

In her submission, Minister Madigan stated: “I stand with Mount Merrion residents on this issue. Their needs must be given top priority in considering this application.”

She said: “While the re-submitted application takes into account a number of the original concerns, however concerns still remain.

“New development in the area is welcome, but it must be suitable for the local landscape and fit in with the community,” Ms Madigan said.