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Prize-winner: State pathologist Marie Cassidy at the unveiling of her portrait at the National Gallery of Ireland by Hennessy Portrait Prize 2017 winner Jack Hickey.
PAT KENNY has suffered a setback in his battle to prevent a high density development on a site adjacent to his Dalkey home.
The council planner’s report recommended that Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council refuses planning for three apartment blocks and seven houses beside the Kennys’ home.
The application by Richard Barrett’s Bartra Capital Property was refused on a number of grounds – mainly concerned with the impact of the height, bulk and scale of two of the apartment blocks.
However, the planner’s report has given fresh hope to Mr Barrett for a high density development for this “unique site” adjacent to the Kenny home, The Anchorage.
The 30-page report says the council “considers that there is an opportunity to provide a high quality residential development on the subject site”.
The planner states that in order to achieve this, “the bulk and mass of the proposed development and its relationship with the directly adjoining sites should be revised to provide a high density, attractive infill development for this unique site”.
The planner’s report also reveals that Bartra had reached a deal with the council to reserve a portion of the development for social and affordable housing. This is to comply with requirements under Part V of the Planning & Development Act 2000-2015.
In August, Bartra Capital Property paid €3.1m for the Maple Tree House site and also paid for an additional 0.51
-acre site to allow the planning application be lodged last month.
The firm will be determined to get a return on its investment and the planner’s report may persuade the firm to lodge revised plans with the council rather than appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.
The Kenny objection ran to 16 pages and was signed by Pat Kenny and Kathy Kenny. It said the development “would detrimentally impact on The Anchorage” and other homes.