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The Green Party held a public meeting on Tuesday
evening, 19th September, to hear residents’ concerns
regarding the controversial development proposed for the site of the
Tara Towers Hotel on the Merrion Road. Over 60 local residents
attended the meeting to learn more about the proposed development
and what they can do to raise their concerns.
Green Party TD
for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe
said “We
held this meeting to raise awareness about this colossal
development, and to advise local residents on what they can do to
oppose it. A Planning Application has been lodged to demolish the
Tara Towers Hotel and replace it with a massive building half the
height of the Pigeon House chimneys.
“The building
would be 25 stories tall, more than four times the height of the
existing building. It would contain a hotel, apartments and a
conference centre. It proposes demolishing Llandaff Terrace on the
city side of the existing hotel. I have put in a submission to
Dublin City Council opposing the granting of permission for this
development. It would overlook many homes in Dornden park, Bellevue
Court and Trimleston Avenue.
“It is putting the
cart before the horse to allow this skyscraper proposal to be
considered before Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council have carried
out their Building Height Study which was announced recently.”
Local Green Party Councillor Nessa Childers
said
“The height of the proposed development is huge – four times the
height of the existing hotel. It raises a number of serious concerns
for people living in the immediate vicinity of the Tara Towers.
Issues such as overlooking of nearby houses, increased traffic
volumes on an already congested road, and loss of amenity.
“This development is right on the border with
Dún
Laoghaire Rathdown County
and will have major implications for those living in the county. We
want Dublin City Council to reject this Planning Application.
You can read Ciarán Cuffe’s submission to Dublin City
Council opposing the development below:
15 September 2006
The Dublin City
Planning Officer
Dublin
City Council
Civic Offices,
Wood Quay
Dublin
8
Observation re.
Planning Application 4653/06 Tara Towers Hotel and nos.
221,219,217,215,213,211,209,207,205 Merrion Road (inclusive of Llandaff Terrace and Llandaff House and St. Columcille's
House) at
Merrion Road and Bellevue
Avenue, Dublin 4. Applicant Radora Developments Ltd
Dear Sir,
I write to request
that this Planning Application be refused permission as it is
premature pending the completion of a building height study by Dún
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
Overlooking
The proposed
development would significantly overlook existing homes at Dornden
Park, Bellevue Court and Trimleston Avenue, and would reduce the
level of amenity offered to the existing residents.
Traffic
This proposal
would bring a significant increase in traffic to the area. I note
that the applicant proposes the addition of a third traffic lane to
the Rock Road. This would cause immediate difficulties to
pedestrians crossing the road, and to cyclists. The Mobility
Management plan is inadequate. It contains proposals for orbital
rail and fare discounts, and for a shuttle bus to the Luas. These
traffic proposals should be grounded in reality, and appear to be
unenforceable. In addition the junctions at the
Rock Road and
Merrion Road and
the Rock Road and Strand Road are already near capacity. This
proposal would place more cars on roads that are not designed to
handle this amount of traffic.
Amenity
The development
would cause a dramatic and abrupt change in the character of this
residential area that is predominantly low-rise in character.
Placing a building that would be 107 metres tall (half the height of
the Pigeon House chimneys, and taller than the O’Connell Street
Spire) beside two story homes would dramatically change the quality
of peoples’ lives.
Drawing
presentation
It is exceedingly
difficult to assess this Planning Application as the drawing titles
are hidden in the fold. This is a significant deficiency and makes
it difficult for professionals and practically impossible for the
layperson to understand the building proposal for this site.
Built Heritage
Llandaff Terrace
is a residential conservation area. It is odd that the properties
were not fully inspected and assessed prior to a proposal for
demolition. I note that the proposed development would have a
negative impact on the nearby Protected Structures.
I welcome the
lower energy use proposals within the application but suggest that
they be presented in more detail in order that they can be
adequately assessed.
I enclose a cheque
for twenty Euro and ask that you acknowledge this submission in
writing.
Sincerely,
Ciarán Cuffe TD
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