The Embassy of India here has stalled contentious plans for a housing scheme on Dublin’s Merrion Rd over privacy and security concerns.
This follows the Embassy of India lodging an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála against the decision by Dublin City Council to grant planning permission to Harry and James Simpson to construct five houses on a site to the rear of No. 67 and 69 Merrion Road, Dublin 4.
Along with the appeal lodged by the Embassy of India a second appeal has been lodged with ACP by Patricia V Harrington and Mary Lewis.
The applicants had initially proposed six houses and after the Council expressed “serious concerns” over the proposed density, scale and height of the proposal, the applicants omitted one unit, Unit 2, which was nearest the Embassy of India and reconfigured a second unit.
India has its Irish Embassy at 69 Merrion Road, which is the neighbouring property of 67 Merrion Road.
In the embassy’s initial objection lodged with the Council, Head of Chancery, Vijay Singh told the council that the Embassy “would like to strongly object” to the proposed scheme.
Mr Singh told the council that the proposed development of four three-storey bedroom houses backing onto the rear garden of the Embassy and Unit 2 next to the boundary wall of the embassy “will negatively impact the ambience and aesthetics of the rear garden/area of the Embassy complex, where Embassy regularly organises important events, including Indian National Day celebrations”.
Mr Singh told the council that “it will be impossible for the Embassy to organise these events after being surrounded by the new proposed units”.
Mr Singh contended that “the new overbearing units will completely box in the rear area of the Embassy, block out the view, obstruct ventilation and significantly reduce the amount of natural light that the Embassy gets”.
Ms Singh further stated that “the proposed development is not in conformity with the character of the area, where the detached houses are the norm, and will negatively impact the residential amenities in the area”.
Mr Singh stated that the proposed 2/3-storey high units surrounding the rear area of the Embassy and having balconies overlooking into the Embassy “will have serious implications for the security and privacy of the Embassy complex, and its members and visitors”.
He stated: “As a resident Diplomatic Mission in Ireland, this is a matter of grave concern for the Embassy.”
The Council granted planning permission after concluding that the omission of unit No. 2 “is a great improvement to this section of the development, creating a higher level of residential amenity for both neighbouring units and future occupiers of the development”.
