Global investment firm Hines is submitting a trimmed alternative planning application for the Bailey Gibson section of its flagship housing site at South Circular Road in Dublin 8.
For its latest fast-track planning application for en board planla, Hines is now seeking permission for the construction of 345 residential units. There will be at least 15 pcs, or 52 of them, build-to-sell units to meet the suppressed demand of home buyers.
The move comes after its previous plans for the site were referred to the European Court of Justice in May 2021, delaying development.
In its application, Hines is seeking permission to construct homes in five buildings, as well as a new outdoor sports pitch, a public park and playground, a new boulevard and public plaza and ancillary community facilities.
The previous application was for 416 dwellings, which is 71 more than the latest housing in buildings ranging in height from two to 16 storeys, and all of which are rental units. In contrast, the latest proposal would be less as it would have a height of two to seven storeys.
The 10pc social housing allocation will remain the same.
Although sources indicate that Hines has not dropped plans for major developments, given the time it takes to process judicial review of those plans in the European Court of Justice, it is likely to rapidly seek approval for these latest plans. and thus can move more quickly.
It is believed that Hines considered that even this latest application could be challenged and delayed for a long period of time.
So if the European Court of Justice has already clarified on the big plans, it is expected that the developer will go ahead with those big plans instead.
Its decision will be based on compliance with its investment responsibilities and its need to deliver badly needed new housing.
Those larger plans were sent to Europe by Mr. Justice Richard Humphries of the High Court for clarification on three aspects of compliance with EU laws.
He was adjudicating on a judicial review brought by local residents against the approval of Hines’s larger application of a board Planla and dismissed a challenge brought by residents under Irish law.
The Bailey Gibson site is part of a larger urban renewal project that also includes the long-vacated former Player Wills Cigarette Factory where Hines plans to develop further 732 units.
In addition, the land development agency is also planning its donor social and affordable housing scheme on the adjoining land.
Hines’ latest plans include multiple tenant amenities such as gymnasium, co-working spaces, recreation room, residents’ lounge, communal garden and 347 sqm childcare facility and outdoor area to serve both the immediate and wider community.
Tenant entertainment facilities will include 2,524 sqm of communal open space in the form of various resident courtyards and terraces.
Significant new public open space initiatives include a full size 12,344 sqm multi-purpose outdoor sports pitch that is not in the previous plans and 485 sqm of commercial floor space that will be allocated for the neighborhood’s retail, cafe and restaurant.
