Serious concerns over new development plan

PLANS for another major development in Mount Merrion have been announced in what locals and local representatives are calling “excessive”.
A company associated with property Developer Greg Kavanagh has announced the plans for 63 residential units in the Oatlands monastery grounds.
On a site of around 2.5 acres the plan is to construct 63 residential units made up of nine houses, 24 duplexes and 30 apartments. Included is this are two, four-storey apartment blocks.
The site is currently landlocked so permission is being sought to demolish No 2 Cherrygarth to gain access to the site.
This development comes after permission was granted for an apartment complex at the Flanagan’s site on Deerpark Road and as planning permission is currently being sought for a commercial development at the Kieley’s site on Wilson Road.
The Mount Merrion Residents Association (MMRA) say that if all plans are approved, almost 200 additional residences will be added to the area.
A statement from the MMRA said that the Cherrygarth plan is a “further example of the planners encouraging high rise development in an area of bungalows and semi-detached houses and at a totally unacceptable density”.
They also believe that the new proposal will cause serious traffic problems for the Cherrygarth and Trees Roads.
They added: “We understand that if it goes ahead it will restrict further development and expansion of both Oatlands primary and secondary schools.”
Councillor Carron McKinney (Lab) has said that local residents feel “under siege as they deal with a barrage of development plans in their neighbourhood”.
She said: “It is important that we balance our learnings from past planning mistakes with the obvious need to address the current housing crisis.
“However hastily drafted proposals which do not take into account the local environment, the local architecture and the current local stress points are not the way to move forward.”
TD for Dublin Rathdown, Catherine Martin (GP) and Cllr Karen Furlong (GP) have expressed serious concerns about what they see as the potential excessive development of Mount Merrion.
Deputy Martin said: “Now on top of the other developments, we see a new development in Cherrygarth being applied for. All of this in one calendar year.”