Appeal lodged on Kildare pub redevelopment
The former Swan Dowling's Pub in Naas
PLANS for a major mixed-use development, comprised of 76 apartments and a crèche on the site of the former Swan Dowling’s Pub in Naas have been refused by Kildare County Council, with the applicant now appealing the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The planning application, submitted by applicant Eamon Cooke, is seeking to demolish the existing vacant pub structure and replace it with a four- to five-storey mixed-use development on Limerick Road. The application includes 76 apartments, comprised of a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, along with four commercial units, a childcare crèche and a resident amenity space at ground floor level.
Each apartment was to be provided with a private balcony or terrace, with additional communal open space at first-floor level. The plans also included 182 bicycle parking spaces and 54 car parking spaces, as well as associated infrastructure such as drainage, landscaping and site services.
The council refused permission for a number of reasons, citing concerns that the proposed development would constitute overdevelopment of the site.
A key issue identified was that the density of the scheme, calculated at 195 dwellings per hectare, would significantly exceed the recommended range of 40 to 100 dwellings per hectare set out in national planning guidelines. The council concluded that permitting such a density would set an undesirable precedent and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
The local authority also raised concerns about a substantial shortfall in car parking provision. While the development plan requires 157 parking spaces for a scheme of this scale, only 54 were proposed, with just one space allocated to the crèche. The council warned that this deficit would likely lead to unauthorised parking on surrounding roads and in nearby developments, creating traffic hazards.
It was further determined that the site does not benefit from sufficient public transport to justify reduced parking levels. It noted the absence of high-frequency bus services and the lack of proximity to rail or major transport connections, concluding that the development’s approach conflicted with national policy on parking standards in areas with limited transport accessibility.
Additional concerns were raised regarding the proposed surface water drainage strategy, which relied on an underground attenuation tank rather than sustainable drainage systems or nature-based solutions as required under current planning policy. The council also found that the scale, bulk and massing of the building would have a negative visual impact on what it described as a prominent gateway site into Naas.
Finally, the application was deemed premature due to insufficient detail in several areas, including access arrangements, mobility management, road safety, landscaping, green infrastructure, childcare provision, social housing requirements and connections to public water infrastructure.
Following the refusal, the applicant has lodged an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will now undertake an independent assessment of the proposal before issuing a final decision.
