Proposed development at “The Sentinel”, Blackthorn Drive, Sandyford Business Estate, Sandyford, Dubl

2016 Proposed development at “The Sentinel”, Blackthorn Drive, Sandyford Business Estate, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

Planning Report Planning Report to accompany planning application lodged with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for a development at “The Sentinel” at Blackthorn Road, Sandyford Business Estate, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

Manahan Planners 38 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 12/19/2016

Introduction This planning report has been prepared to accompany a planning application by Dante Property Company seeking permission for a development at “The Sentinel”, Rockbrook, Blackthorn Drive, Sandyford Business Estate, Dublin 18.

The building has been substantially completed on foot of previous permissions (Reg. Refs.

D05A/1159 and D09A/0117). However, construction halted, due to the developer going into receivership, with only the outer structural element of the building having been completed.

Figure 1: Photo of The Sentinel development in its current unfinished state

The subject site was subsequently sold as an individual site to the current owner in 2011.

Most recently, permission was granted on 07.08.14 This permission was dependent on the life of the parent permission D05A/1159 and expired on 20.07.16.

This application seeks to grant a fresh permission that incorporates that permitted by the previous applications for the subject site (Reg. Ref’s. D05A/1159, D09A/0117 and The Sentinel December 2016

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D13A/0313). The only amendments sought by this application, from the previously permitted scheme, pertain to those required by recent policy or regulation changes.

This report seeks to explain the proposed development and then assess it against the relevant planning criteria.

Site Context The subject site is approximately 0.195ha in size and is located at the north western edge of the Sandyford Business District. It previously formed part of the wider 3.117 ha mixed-use Rockbrook development (at the former Allegro site).

It is situated at the junction of Blackthorn Drive and Carmanhall Road, which forms the south-western boundary of the site. Due to this location, and its unsightly appearance, the building is a very prominent visual eyesore, visible from several locations around South County Dublin.

It is situated along a key pedestrian route through the Rockbrook development, which connects Beacon South Quarter, the Aldi store and Stillorgan LUAS stop.

Figure 2: Aerial photo of the surrounding area with an indicative outline of the subject site

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Figure 3: Site Location Plan

Planning History The parent permission (Reg. Ref. D05A/1159) related to the development of the wider Allegro (subsequently known as Rockbrook) site, of which the subject site formed a part.

This was subsequently amended by Reg. Ref. D09A/0117.

This wider Rockbrook site included “The Sentinel” as Block C. This building ranged from 614 storeys in height. This permission was to expire in 2011 but an Extension of Duration application (Reg. Ref. D05A/1159/E) was then granted permission which then extended the duration of the parent permission up to the 20th July 2016.

A subsequent application (Reg. Ref. D09A/0117) sought retention and amendments to the previously permitted building, as it was being constructed. The amendments included internal changes, the inclusion of an atrium on the southern façade of the building, the relocation of the main entrance and an increase in overall height.

A further application (Reg. Ref. D13A/0457) was granted permission in 2014. This permitted the revision of the internal configuration of permitted office floorspace to comprise 294 office suites and 28 meeting rooms; the provision of two additional floors (1,490sqm) to the existing 6 storey part of the building adjoining Block A; the provision of the ground floor café/restaurant use (198 sq m); new entrance to Blackthorn Drive; and elevational amendments.

As mentioned previously, this permission was dependent on the life of the parent permission and therefore expired on 20.07.16.

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Pre-Application Consultation A pre-application consultation meeting was held between representatives of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council and the Applicant Team in which the proposal was discussed. It was submitted that the application would reflect the permissions that were previously granted.

The Council planners advised that any outstanding conditions from the previous permissions and from the RFI’s need to be addressed in new application, as well as any regulatory or policy changes that had occurred in the interim period.

The Proposed Development It is proposed to complete the development as per the previous permissions (Reg. Ref.’s D05A/1159, D09A/0117 and D13A/0457). This includes the following components:        

Completion of the internal configuration of existing and proposed office floorspace to comprise 294 office suites and 28 meeting rooms; Provision of two additional floors of office accommodation (1,490 sq. m) to the existing 6 storey part of the building adjoining Block A; Provision of ground floor café/restaurant use (198 sq. m); Addition of “green” roof, Relocated main entrance arrangement to Blackthorn Drive; Elevational amendments; and Provision of ancillary areas and all site development works.

Car and cycle parking provision will be as previously permitted. Vehicular access to the site will be as previously permitted from Blackthorn Drive (An Bord Pleanala Reference: PL06D.238756; Reg. Ref. D11A/0031).

Planning Assessment Completion of Unfinished Development: Section 2.3.9 of the Sandyford Urban Framework Plan 2011-2016 (SUFO) incorporated into the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2016-2022 as Appendix 15 refers to the issue of ‘Unfinished Estates’. The Plan states: “Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is committed to working with all relevant landowners, developers, builders, receivers, examiners, liquidators, NAMA and residents in the relevant developments, to ensure that unfinished estates in Sandyford Business District, are appropriately resolved.”

It is submitted that the proposed development represents the resolution of an unfinished ‘estate’. The building in its unfinished state is visually offensive and an intrusion on the landscape. Its completion will improve the visual appearance of what is a prominent site within the Sandyford Business District.

Zoning: As per the Dun Laoghaire- Rathdown County Development Plan 2016-2022, the proposed development is on a site within an area with the zoning Objective MIC – “to consolidate and complete the development of the mixed use inner core to enhance and reinforce sustainable development”. Within this zoning, the following uses are ‘Permitted in Principle’: ‘Offices’; ‘Tea Room/Cafe’; ‘Restaurant’.

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A Plot Ratio of 1:2.5 and a height limit of 5-14 storeys is permissible.

Section 2.3.2.3 states: “Office based employment within the Mixed Use Core Areas should provide a broad spectrum of accommodation. Other uses, which are considered to be compatible in nature and with infrastructure requirements, are also permitted within this zone. In the design of office accommodation it will be critical that cognisance is taken of the function of the building not alone in providing employment accommodation but in contributing to the environment of the Mixed Use Core Area. This should be achieved by creating frontages that relate well at street level so as to interact with the pedestrian and by protecting residential amenity of adjoining blocks through orientation and design”.

Section 3.5.1 states: “the L-shaped area between Blackthorn Drive and Blackthorn Avenue, contains developments including Beacon South Quarter and Rockbrook. These developments which provide high density and high quality architectural finishes, sit uncomfortably against neighbouring underdeveloped and underutilised sites which reinforces the transitional nature of the area. It is the intention of the Plan to promote development of these sites, to consolidate the area by repairing edges and promoting a coherent street pattern and skyline”.

The proposed development seeks to address the issue raised by the above sections of repairing the impact of the underdeveloped and underutilised sites and their impact on the visual appearance of the area.

Office Units: The model of office units proposed by this application has been conceived as a reaction to the changing dynamic in the global workplace in the past decade. This change has led to a fluidity in work structures.

The economic crisis led to large scale rationalisation of company structures and office space requirements. In addition, there has been a large increase in the demand for remote working, for business incubation and start-up space. A major increase in shared workspaces has occurred in the creative industries. Similar demand for flexible work spaces are being experienced in the wider working world. Further, there is a demand for more flexibility in working hours and requirements, which appeals to those who work internationally, for example those working to an Asian or US work day timetable.

The model of office units proposed is aiming to address these significant structural changes in the demand for office space.

Cafe: As described above, a cafe is a ‘permitted in principle’ use on the site and the will provide a valuable and complementary use to the proposed office units that are proposed under this application. Further, it will provide a ground floor frontage that will add vibrancy to the street outside, ameliorating the public realm.

Building Height: Two extra floors are proposed above the 6 storey section of the building.

This increase brings the height of the lower section in line with that of the existing building to the north (Rockbrook Phase 1 – Block A). These two floors are set back 6m from the street The Sentinel December 2016

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frontage to reduce any potential visual bulk of that element of the building. This serves to visually recess the two upper levels from views towards the building and not impact on wider views and vistas. They will provide no overshadowing of nearby buildings, open spaces or the public realm.

The height of the taller element of the building is to remain as it currently is. Overall, the building remains within the height parameters outlined in the SUFP (5-14 storeys).

Plot Ratio: The proposed additional two floors will increase the plot ratio. However, this increase is minimal in the context of the overall development and does not represent an unreasonable increase in scale.

Parking: The scheme does not propose any alteration to the arrangements permitted under the previous applications (Reg. Ref.’s D11A/0031 and ABP Ref. PL06D.238765) for the wider Rockbrook Development. The subject site contains 266 parking spaces which are provided by the owner of the adjoining development (including the basement areas) under an existing licence agreement. Access is provided to the basement parking from the entrance on Blackthorn Drive.

Cycle parking provision will be provided as per the previously permitted development.

Floor Area: The proposed two additional floors will increase the floor area by approximately 1498 sq m. This is an increase of approx 11.3%, which is submitted will not create a significant nor unreasonable impact on the area.

Open space: The original proposal was assessed under the parent permission which encompassed the wider Rockbrook Development, and included the required open space provision within the entire scheme, to serve the wider development.

Further, occupiers of the proposed development will have full access to the public open space and public realm as created by the Rockbrook Development.

The SUFP, under objective M7, requires 10-15% of the site area as outdoor amenity space for employees. However, no additional site area is proposed and given the development has already satisfied open space requirements as part of the previously larger development area, it is submitted that there is no deficiency in open space as created by the proposed development.

Scanning for Appropriate Assessment Planning applications are now required to undertake a “scanning” as to whether the project proposed could have significant effects on a Natura site, such that a Natura Impact Study (NIS) is required to be lodged with the application. This section addresses this issue.

In relation to “Appropriate Assessment”, this procedure was introduced by the European Union Habitats Directive as a way of determining if a planned project is likely to have significant effect on any of the Natura 2000 sites designated as either candidate SAC’s and SPAs or any of their conservation objectives. It requires a broader overview of the project than an environmental impact statement would have as it necessitates an examination of the secondary effects at some distance from the project location.

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Natura 2000 sites are areas of established environmental merit as described under the European Union Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (Council Directive 79/409/EEC).

The site of this application is in the Sandyford area of Dublin. There are four Natura 2000 sites that could potentially be affected by this development. These are the North Dublin Bay candidate SAC, the South Dublin Bay candidate SAC, and the North Bull Island SPA or the South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA. However any effluent or overspill from this site during construction would have to reach Dublin Bay to have an impact. There is little likelihood of this occurring. Normal precautions of sediment control during construction works will prevent undue impact and input to existing drains and the resultant treated outflows, would have no influence on organisms in the Natura sites.

In relation to screening for this proposal therefore, the design, nature, limited scale, mitigating measures proposed and location of the development, will ensure that the proposal will not have any significant effects on a Natura site.

Because there is no likelihood of significant ecological effects on the qualifying interests of the Natura sites downstream, it is reasonable to conclude that the screening carried out shows that the further more detailed stages of the Appropriate Assessment procedure are not required.

Conclusion It is submitted that the proposal is an appropriate response to a strategically located site, that the proposed development is seeks to bring to fruition a development that was previously permitted but due to economy circumstances was never actualised. The proposal will bring a significant improvement to visual appearance of the area and provide a very valuable facility to complement the existing and emerging developments in the Sandyford area.

In conclusion it is submitted that this planning application is consistent with the provisions of the County Development Plan and with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and accordingly the Planning Authority is requested to grant permission for this appropriate development.

Manahan Planners 21 December 2016

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