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Writings: Submissions
by Ciarán Cuffe / Royal Marine Hotel
Grounds, Dún Laoghaire
The
Director of Planning Services
14 August 2006
Dun
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
County
Offices, Marine Road
Dun
Laoghaire
Observation re. Planning Application D06A/0991
Mixed Commercial and Residential development at Royal Marine Hotel Grounds,
Marine Road etc., Dun Laoghaire. Applicant William Neville and Sons.
Dear
Sir,
I
write to request that this Planning Application be refused permission as it is
premature pending the adoption of a Local Area Plan for this site and the
surrounding area which is experiencing such rapid change. Such a plan could also
assist in providing a forum for the debate of any future planning application
for the Carlisle Pier.
I
believe that if the public and surrounding community of Dun Laoghaire are to
have confidence in the trend towards higher density development they must be
consulted and their views included at an early stage. I was concerned to see
that the Application includes a building that will rise nine stories above
street level, and will rise far above the existing Pavilion apartments.
I
believe that the general design quality of these apartments is low. They are
mostly single aspect, have internal bathrooms and kitchens and are accessed from
long narrow corridors without natural light. Some of the two apartments are only
65 sq. m. in area, a fairly low figure. The preponderance of two and one bedroom
apartments will also make it difficult to build sustainable communities. This is
setting the bar too low for apartment living and will result in a transient
population. From an urban design perspective I am concerned that the opportunity
has not been taken to attach a building of quality to the bland and dull
sea-facing façade of the Shopping Centre.
However in the absence of a strong local plan, prepared with the active
involvement of the existing community it is simply bad planning to proceed with
the determination of a significant Planning Application in the area. I therefore
request as a matter of urgency that Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
dedicate significant resources to producing a Local Area Plan for the area.
I
enclose a cheque for twenty Euro and ask that you acknowledge this submission in
writing.
Sincerely,
Ciarán Cuffe TD |