COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor B. Bonner

To ask the Manager to present a report on the issue of backland development in Knockmeenagh Road, Clondalkin?  What is the current situation for residents there who wish to build a dwelling in their back garden?

REPLY:

While the rear gardens of the existing semi-detached cottages on northern side of Knockmeenagh Road are very long (150m), the plots are extremely narrow in width.  Individual house development in the rear gardens of the Knockmeenagh Cottages, with access driveways through the existing dwelling site, were considered inappropriate and generally not acceptable.   It was considered that this form of piecemeal development, which could effectively result in a row (or even a double row) of houses located very close to each other, would result in negative impacts for existing residents and a poor aspect for the future residents of such developments.  All South Dublin Council decisions to refuse planning permission for individual houses in rear garden sites of Knockmeenagh Road cottages were upheld by An Bord Pleanála on appeal.   Having regard to the extent of long rear gardens associated with the existing residential properties, the Planning Authority considered that there is potential for integrated development of these lands; a better form of development would be achieved if housing development took place on a number of adjoining gardens to the rear of Knockmeenagh Road serviced by and fronting a new access road to serve the development in such a manner that the amenities of the area would be safeguarded.   It is noted that none of the proposals submitted to the Planning Authority for houses in the rear of Knockmeenagh Road cottages formed part of a formally co-ordinated scheme for the comprehensive redevelopment of this backland area.   

Following the adoption of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2010-2016, in particular the introduction of Local Zoning Objective (LZO6) to ‘Facilitate the development of housing to the rear of the cottages at Knockmeenagh Road, Clondalkin, with not more than one additional unit per existing cottage,’ the provision of a house in one of the long rear gardens of Knockmeenagh Road cottages could be considered acceptable in principle.

 Subsequent to the adoption of this LZO6, An Bord Pleanála, however, refused permission on 31/01/11 for a dormer dwelling to the rear of a Knockmeenagh Road house on grounds of compromising the comprehensive redevelopment of the backlands area and the serious injury to amenities of property in the vicinity by way of overbearing due to height, scale and proximity (SD10A/0218 & PL06S.237712 ).  An Bord Pleanála Direction in relation to this development states: In deciding not to accept the Inspector’s recommendation to grant permission, the Board considered that the concept of individual entrances to serve each backland site would detract from the amenity of the existing cottages and considered that notwithstanding the zoning objective as set out in the development to provide for backland development at this location that to permit development on a case by case basis would not yield the optimum results for the development of these garden plots.  

Subsequent to, and with specific reference to, this appeal decision, South Dublin County Council refused permission on 31/01/11 for a single storey dwelling to the rear of the same Knockmeenagh Road house.   This decision was not appealed.

The refusal reasoning is consistent with  Policy H15 ‘ Backland Development’ South Dublin County Development Plan 2010-2016 which provides that “backland development will generally only be permitted where development is carried out in a comprehensive redevelopment of the backland to secure a co-ordinated scheme”   

It is also consistent with ‘Backland Development’ Section 1.2.25 of the County Development Plan 2010-2016, which recognises that conflict can arise between backland development and the established character of an area and can inhibit potential comprehensive redevelopment of the larger backland area; it provides that individual houses will only be permitted where supported by a site analysis, concept plan and design statement detailing how the development can form part of a comprehensive plan for the entire in the future.

It is accepted that there are the impediments to implementing a comprehensive scheme for redevelopment of the backland area to rear of the Knockmeenagh Road cottages, including fragmented ownership and issues of access.  Development of these backland sites however needs to be coordinated in terms of layout, form and design, including standards for setback from Knockmeenagh Road (i.e. a building line) and setback from party boundaries, the scale and height of dwellings, the ratio of subdivision of the original sites, site access, internal access and parking arrangements.  These are matters for the residents of these private properties to address.