Bid to turn Kildare pub into apartments refused for over-density
A CGI of the refused block of apartments planned for the Swan Dowling's site in Naas
A PLAN to erect 76 apartments on the footprint of Swan Dowling’s pub on the Newbridge Road in Naas has had its refusal to build upheld following an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Last December Eamonn Cooke from Caragh made his initial application to Kildare County Council to build a five-storey complex above four commercial units and a creche.
However, this was refused in February after the council deemed the density of dwellings to be outside of County Development Plan (CDP) guidelines.
Originally, the plan was for 99 apartments which, for the 0.39Ha (c.1ac) site, which equated to a density of 254 units per hectare, way beyond the recommended the maximum of 40-100 units/Ha as suggested for an urban locations as this one in Naas.
Previously, permission had been given to demolish the derelict former pub in April 2012 to build offices over a café and a pharmacy, but that was not followed through on.
Five years before that, planners let their feelings on dwellings here be let known when they refused permission to build 51 apartments on the location.
“This is absolutely appalling, and we in the middle of a housing crisis,” said cllr Bill Clear. “I was very shocked it was turned down – on a site that has been derelict since the drugs case".
The former pub manager Martin Kelly was convicted of dealing drugs, and sentenced to five years back in January 2022.
Even after architects CW O’Brien reduced the number of apartments to 76, this still left a density of 195/Ha, still twice over what is recommended in the CDP.
The council also felt that having just 54 car parking spaces when it expected 157 to satisfy both residents and retail customer parking was not sufficient.
“By reason of scale, bulk, and massing (this development) would have a negative visual impact on a prominent corner site at a gateway to Naas,” read the Planner’s Report.
An appeal was lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála in March, saying: 'in a town centre development density above mid-level should be encouraged'. While the inspector agreed with the applicant that 'a recommended density is not mandatory … however the guidelines provide the primary national benchmark against which residential interests should be made'.
The inspector also noted that the planned ratio equated to 35 homes without parking.
