Bartra given green light to demolish D4 guesthouse
RICHARD Barrett’s Bartra Capital has been given the green light to demolish a guesthouse on one of the country’s most exclusive roads to build a luxury apartment complex in its place.
The development company’s plans to construct 20 units in a five-storey structure at 98 Merrion Road in Dublin 4 were approved by An Bord Pleanala last week.
It represents a significant win for the developer, which has been hit with numerous planning delays since its inception.
Bartra faced objections from five different parties after it initially gained approval for the project from Dublin City Council.
An Bord Pleanala’s own inspector also recommended that permission be refused for the scheme.
The objectors were all from the local area and raised concerns over the potential for residents in the new block to “overlook” into existing properties. Others cited the design of the building itself and claimed that it would “dwarf ” surrounding dwellings.
The planning board’s inspector said that the development should be refused because it would have resulted in “significant loss of daylight and sunlight” and that it would have an “unacceptably overbearing impact” on adjacent properties.
However, in its ruling, An Bord Pleanala said the development was allowed to go ahead under a number of conditions, including the fact that construction would only take place between 8am and 7pm on Monday to Friday, from 8am to 2pm on Saturday, and not at all on Sundays.
The board also said that it took the Dublin City development plan into account when making its decision and insisted that the apartment block would “not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of properties in the area”.
A spokesman for Bartra said they were “delighted” to receive permission and stated that it was “entirely consistent with Government policy to increase density within urban areas”.