Core Planning Reasoning
The proposed development is situated on a well-serviced brownfield site zoned for Town Centre uses where residential care facilities are permitted in principle. The Inspector determined that the design, scale, and massing are appropriate for the urban context and that the amended proposal (removing a concrete wall in the riparian zone) ensures the protection of the Tolka River's ecological integrity and flood management while providing high-quality resident amenities.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The principle of a nursing home is acceptable under the current Town Centre zoning and aligns with national strategies for compact growth on underutilised serviced lands.
- The building's stepped height and set-backs, combined with the site's topography, provide an appropriate transition that prevents significant overbearing or overshadowing impacts on neighbouring residential properties at The Rise.
- The removal of the unauthorized concrete wall and the maintenance of a 10m riparian buffer strip adequately addresses ecological and flood risk concerns related to the Tolka River.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029Zoning Objective TC - Town and District CentreZoning Objective HA - High AmenityPolicy CSP20 (Blanchardstown)Policy SPQHP34 (Care Facilities)Objective SPQHO27 (Location of Care Facilities)Objective SPQHO28 (Character of Area)Objective SPQHO29 (Standard of Care Facilities)Objective DMSO38 (Location of Care Facilities)Objective DMSO39 (Age Friendly Housing)Objective DMSO40 (Open Space Standards)Objective GINHO41 (Protection of Rivers)Objective GINHO42 (Inland Fisheries)Objective GINHO43 (Streamside Riparian Zone)Objective DMSO154 (Ecological Corridors)Objective DMSO156 (Development along Watercourses)Objective DMS160 (Riparian Corridors)Section 3.5.10.2 (Care Facilities)Section 14.11.4 (Residential Care Homes)
Decision Document Summary
This Inspector's Report evaluates a proposal for a 115-bedroom, 3-to-5 storey nursing home on a 0.836ha site on Main Street, Blanchardstown. The site currently houses a garden centre/fruit shop and is bounded to the east by the Tolka River. Key planning issues centered on the building's scale relative to single-storey neighbors and the ecological sensitivity of the river corridor. The applicant submitted revised plans at the Further Information stage to remove a concrete retaining wall within th...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
Note: If code appears below, the council site is blocking the preview. Please open the original file.