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An Bord Pleanála Ref.: PL61.243215 An Bord Pleanála Inspector’s Report Site Address: 119/121 Kingshill, Salthill Road Upper, Galway City. Proposal: Omit basement car park (06/1031 refers) construct private surface car park for residents, revised elevations, omit access steps retain and complete units. Planning Application Planning Authority: Galway City Council Planning Authority Reg. Ref.: 13/266 Applicants: Thomas McEvaddy Type of Application: Permission Planning Authority Decision: Grant Planning Appeal Appellant: James Cunningham Type of Appeal: 3rd party –v- grant Observers: None Date of Site Inspection: 21 st June 2014 Inspector: G. Ryan PL61.243215 An Bord Pleanála Page 1 of 24 1.0 SITE.......................................................................................................3 2.0 PROPOSAL ...........................................................................................4 2.9 Further information request and response..........................................5 3.0 SUMMARY OF REPORTS TO THE PLANNING AUTHORITY .............8 3.1 Planning Officers first report ...............................................................8 3.2 Planning officer’s second report..........................................................8 3.3 Departmental Reports.........................................................................9 3.4 Representations..................................................................................9 4.0 PLANNING AUTHORITY DECISION...................................................10 5.0 HISTORY .............................................................................................11 6.0 POLICY................................................................................................13 6.1 ‘Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments’ 13 6.2 Galway City Development Plan 2011-2017 ......................................14 7.0 GROUNDS OF APPEAL......................................................................15 8.0 SUMMARY OF RESPONSES .............................................................16 8.1 Planning Authority.............................................................................16 8.2 First Party Response to Third Party Appeal......................................16 9.0 OBSERVERS.......................................................................................17 10.0 ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................17 10.1 Principle of Development...............................................................17 10.2 Standard of residential development .............................................18 10.3 Car Park ........................................................................................19 10.4 Legal issues...................................................................................20 10.5 Desirability of providing a route through the site............................20 10.6 Interface with Public Park ..............................................................21 11.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.........................................21 12.0 REASONS AND CONSIDERATIONS..................................................21 PL61.243215 An Bord Pleanála Page 2 of 24 1.0 SITE 1.1 The subject site is located in Salthill, in Galway City’s western suburbs, around 2km west of the city centre. Salthill is a commercial centre for the surrounding residential areas, as well as having a recreational and tourism function, located on the shores of Galway Bay. The site has dual frontage onto Salthill Road Upper 1 to the west, and Quincentennial Drive to the east. Salthill Road Upper forms part of the City’s regional road network, along with Seapoint Promenade to the south. Quincentennial Drive runs parallel and between the two. 1.2 Quincentennial Drive is effectively in two cul-de-sac sections, the southern portion accessed from Seapoint Promenade, with the northern section accessed from Grattan Road. There is a short ‘missing’ section where its alignment passes the subject site and the site to the north. Between Quincentennial Drive and Seapoint Promenade is Claude Toft Park. 1.3 The section of Salthill Road Upper to the southwest of the subject site, towards the junction with Seapoint Parade, is characterised by commercial uses at ground floor level, whereas the plots surrounding the subject site, and on the opposite side of the road, are predominantly residential in character. 1.4 Salthill Road Upper forms the commercial spine of the area, with a diverse use mix of retail, restaurants, pubs, and entertainment venues. The block of land between Quincentennial Drive and Seapoint Promenade accommodates the National Aquarium and a tourist office, as well as areas of open space and car parking. A ‘run’ of multi-storey apartment blocks line the west side of Quincentennial Drive, often over ground or basement level parking facilities. 1.5 The site itself has a stated area of 0.2273ha. The Salthill Road Upper end of the site accommodates a residential block (‘Block A’) which was built in the last decade. It presents 5 storeys to the east and 4 to the west, the lower of the storeys on the western (street) frontage being ‘blanked out’ and the subject of the current application. A single- carriageway laneway to the side of the property provides pedestrian access via a door to the side of Block A as well as providing access to the rear of the adjacent property to the north. Onward potential vehicular access is prevented by temporary fencing. 1.6 There is a small concrete yard to the rear of Block A. Aside from some balconies at the rear elevation and at the top level, there is no open space, and no car parking available to this residential block. There is a high mound at the Salthill Road Upper Frontage which is contained behind retaining walls. 1 Also known as simply ‘Salthill Upper’, or at this point ‘Kingshill’. PL61.243215 An Bord Pleanála Page 3 of 24 1.7 The centre and rear of the site, facing Quincentennial Drive is overgrown, with intermittent refuse and discarded building material. There is a block of chalets which are derelict. There is temporary fencing along the boundaries which is falling into disrepair. 1.8 There was permission on this site for two residential Blocks, Block A which was constructed, and Block B which was not. Due to Block B not having been constructed, there is no parking or open space for Block A. 2.0 PROPOSAL The scheme can essentially be divided into two main sections, the proposed car park, and the proposed new ‘basement’ apartments. 2.1 Car Park 2.1.1 It is proposed to omit the permitted basement car park (albeit that this permission has expired) and to construct a surface car park roughly on the footprint of the permitted Block B to provide for the residents of Block A. 2.2 New ‘basement’ Apartments 2.2.1 It is proposed to fit out and use the space at ‘level 2’ (street level) to the front of Block A as two one-bed apartments. 2.2.2 Connected with this aspect of the scheme is the proposal to retain changes to the front elevation, and to omit permitted steps to the front of Block A. 2.3 Cover letter The cover letter submitted with the application contains the following information and assertions of note. 2.4 Following grants of permission for development of two blocks on site, ‘A’ facing Salthill Road Upper and ‘B’ to the rear, the ownership of the site was disputed by the keyholders of the tin sheds to the rear of the site. This dispute was only recently concluded. Block A was constructed, whereas block B, the basement car park, and its access ramp were not. 2.5 During construction, a natural basement was formed at level 2 to the front of Block A. Permission was refused [PA Reg. Ref. No. 10/30] to retain this new space as storage, but it was refused as the balance of the development was not completed and the amenities to Block A were outstanding – car parking and open space. PL61.243215 An Bord Pleanála Page 4 of 24 2.6 The applicant was refused permission by the board [PL 61.241260 (PA Ref. 10/369)] for a revised Block B, and the original permission – 06/1031 – has expired. 2.7 The proposed development would provide the amenity standards outstanding to Block A, and is no longer constrained by the previously extant permission for Block B. 2.8 The Development Ratio [sic] of the permitted development is 0.44, whereas the subject proposal would result in a plot ratio of 0.51. Adjoining sites have plot ratios of 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7. While the two new apartments would push the site beyond the recommended threshold of 0.46, this is envisaged by section 11.7.1 of the Development Plan [see section 6.1 below] 2.9 Further information request and response Prior to issuing a decision, the planning authority sought further information on 8 points, which can be summarised as follows, along with the response from the applicant, and the assessmetn of the planning officer. This response was re-advertised by way of public notices. Planning authority Applicant’s response 10/1/14 Planning request Officer’s assessment 1. Requests the Revised drawings submitted to Notes compliance provision of this effect. with this request. landscaped buffers between every 6 car parking spaces. 2. Requests Access to the proposed car Notes response clarification on park is to be solely from on this matter. potential vehicular Quincentennial Drive. The access via Salthill access from Salthill Upper is for Road Upper and the neighbouring property and the use of the emergency access. internal link