Couple stall 109-unit ‘assisted living’ block for older people as it would ‘shadow’ back garden

This follows Martin Treacy and Susan Treacy lodging their appeal to An Bord Pleanála against the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s grant of permission to Tetrarch Residential Ltd for the Large-Scale Residential Development (LRD) that comprises 109 units on a 2.9-acre site known as the “old farm”, on the grounds of Mount Anville in south Dublin.

With the period for the lodging appeals now expired, the appeal by the Treacys of Mount Anville Lawn is the sole appeal lodged with the appeals board.

In their appeal, the Treacys state that they would like to extend their home into their back garden in order to improve their quality of life like other householders in the area who have done so already.

They state that “we would like to undertake a similar development in the near future for our expanding young family but have put these plans on hold pending the outcome of the planning application”.

The Treacys contend that the proposed scheme by Tetrarch “would have a significant overbearing and overshadowing effect on our rear garden”.

The Treacys state that “one of the main reasons we bought the house – much in advance of this planning application being lodged – was to have use of the rear private garden for our young family”.

The couple contend that “the proposed significant and overbearing development being built directly behind us detrimentally reduces our enjoyment of this private space”.

The Treacys state that the need for age suitable accommodation is welcomed in the area.

They state that “having said that surely the proposal of high rise apartment blocks is not suitable for the needs of proposed elderly tenants who occupy same – in the event of a fire how is it proposed that elderly individuals set down three flights of stairs?”

They add that taking the opinions of local residents into consideration and their own points contained in the appeal “in our opinion, planning permission should be refused”.

The planning report that recommended that planning permission be granted concluded that the height and form of the reduced scheme will not have a negative or domineering impact on the setting of the Old Farmhouse.

When planning permission was granted last month, a spokesman for Tetrarch Residential said “the proposed development will offer those aged 65 and over an opportunity to right-size from family homes in the locality to a new, high quality, low maintenance and secure property that better matches their requirements, should they wish to do so”.