An Bord Pleanala concedes Bullock Harbour case in Judicial Review.  Planning permission quashed.

Bullock Harbour Preservation Association has tonight issued the following press release. 

In a letter to Bullock Harbour Preservation Association’s solicitors  An Bord Pleanala has conceded the Judicial Review brought by the association regarding a planning application for a contentious development on a site abutting Bullock Harbour. This effectively quashes the planning permission awarded by the board in 2019.  The association awaits further correspondence regarding the detail of ABP’s decision.

The planning application by developers Bartra Property (Dublin) Ltd, made in 2017, proposed building luxury houses and apartments on a site immediately adjacent to the harbour and currently occupied by commercial buildings.  There have been multiple objections to the proposed development including the history of major flooding on the site from wave overtopping, the failure by the applicant to make proper environmental assessments and the overwhelmingly and incongruously large nature of the development in a sensitive site of maritime and natural heritage.

“This is great news for the community of users and residents of Bullock Harbour” said Dr Susan McDonnell, chair of Bullock Harbour Preservation Association.  “The proposed development was entirely unsuitable for this site in multiple regards.  We are so grateful to our supporters from Dalkey and beyond who have made this outcome possible.  And we await with interest the further correspondence from An Bord Pleanala”.

The planning application was refused permission in 2018 by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and appealed by Bartra Property to An Bord Pleanala that same year.  In 2019 ABP’s inspector recommended upholding the county council’s refusal but planning permission was none the less awarded by the board.  The Bullock Harbour Preservation Association accordingly applied for Judicial Review of the board’s decision in August 2019.

Dr McDonnell thanked FP Logue solicitors and barrister John Kenny who represented the Association throughout the proceedings.