At the start of August a Large-scale Residential Development application was made to Dublin City Council for the development of 168 apartment units, a creche, and café at Daneswell Place, Former Printworks/Smurfit Site, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. The application was declared invalid on the 9th of August as Dublin City Council felt the description contained in the application was insufficiently detailed for the public. The application was resubmitted on the 22 Aug 2022. Last day for observations is Monday 26th of September 2022. On 13th September at 8pm Neasa will host an online meeting to discuss the application.
[Update 10-Mar-2023]
An Bord Pleanála have agreed to uphold Dublin City Council’s decision to grant permission with a number of conditions as outlined in the order.
[Update 13-Nov-2022]
On the 9th November 2022 an appeal of Dublin City Council’s decision to grant permission was lodged with An Bord Pleanála
[Update 13-Oct-2022]
Dublin City Council granted permission for the development.
A number of conditions have been attached to this grant including:
- The 10% of the site area required to be provided as public open space shall be achieved by omitting Block E in its entirety. The space released shall be incorporated into the public open space provision of the scheme. Block E was a 3 storey duplex block and provided 8 units.
- A minimum of 20 percent of all car parking spaces shall be fitted with functioning electric vehicle stations or points and all remaining car parking spaces shall be ducted to facilitate future installation of EV charging points or stations.
- Railings to remain in current position with space set aside should they need to be moved as a result of BusConnects.
- Communal resident facilities shall not be commercial facilities
- A public artwork shall be commissioned and installed in the public open space.
- A development contribution of €1.1 million shall be paid to Dublin City Council as a contribution towards expenditure in respect of public infrastructure benefiting development.
Differences between the 9th Aug. application and 22nd Aug. application
Dublin City Council declared the 9th Aug. application invalid because it was “insufficient for the information of the public”. In particular the application did not contain sufficient information on what permission has already been granted on the site.
The new application contains the details of the permitted scheme.
In addition the following files were updated:
- Community & Social Infrastructure Audit
- Cover Letter to Dublin City Council
- EIA Screening Report
- List of Enclosures
- Newspaper Notice
- Planning Application Form
- Planning Report
- Site Notice
- Supplementary Application Form - Form 19
What is a Large-scale Residential Development (LRD)
Large-scale Residential Development is the process that replaces the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process. It is similar to the SHD process in that it deals with applications for 100 or more houses or 200 or more student accommodation bed spaces.
A key difference however is that Large-scale Residential Development applications are made directly to the local authority (Dublin City Council in this case). Strategic Housing Development applications were made to An Bord Pleanála.
Unix Mix
168 apartment units
- 12 x studios
- 72 x one bed units
- 68 x two bed units
- 16 x three bed units
- A crèche (expected 34 places, 43 during ECCE hours)
- Residents’ amenity space (gym, amenity rooms, etc.)
Previous Applications on this site
Summary of some of main planning applications for the site:
- 2016 permission granted for 43 houses & 76 apartments in 3 4
storey apartment Blocks (119 in total) - An Bord Pleanála refused permission for “299 apartments, creche
and associated site works” in June 2019 - March 2020 An Bord Pleanála said application for “Construction of
233 no. apartments, creche and associated site works” requires
further consideration/amendment - July 2020 last application for “240 no. apartments, childcare
facility and associated site works.” was rejected by An Bord Pleanála
35 houses have been built on the site.
There are a number of approved applications on this site already which this application will amend: 3665/15, 4267/17, 2133/18, and 4306/18.
Part V Social Housing
Dublin City Council’s preferred option is to acquire units on site to fulfil the Part V Social Housing obligation. All Part V Social Housing is in Block A facing Botanic Road and comprises:
- One Bed - 10
- Two bed - 9
- Three Bed - 2
21 in total which is approximately 10% of the total units on the site (35 existing housing units in addition to the 168 apartment units in this application).

Height
(16th Sep: Corrected heights)
The development is split across 5 blocks
- Block A - 5 storeys, 16.5m
- Block B - 6 storeys over basement, 19.51m
- Block C - 6 storeys over basement, 19.51m
- Block D - 6 storeys, 19.71m
- Block E - 3 storeys, 12.99m
Parking
73 car spaces broken down as follows:
- Apartment Units - 58 (inclusive of 5 Car club spaces)
- Visitor - 6 spaces
- Accessible - 7 spaces
- Crèche Staff - 2 spaces
The proposed cycle parking spaces will comprise of the following:
- 353 secure cycle spaces (inclusive of 5 cargo bike spaces)
- 48 visitor cycle spaces on surface
- 50 cycle spaces at ground floor of Block A
Public Open Space
A public open space has been provided to the rear of the development (outlined in blue below)

Zoning
The site is zoned as “Sustainable Residential Neighbourhoods – Zone Z1” which intends “to protect, provide and improve residential amenities”.
Plot ratio and site coverage
- Plot Ratio - 1.4 (amount of floorspace in relation to the site area). The indicative Plot Ratio in the current development plan for Z1 zoned land is 0.5 - 2.0.
- Site Coverage - 35.9% (the percentage of the site covered by building structures). The indicative Site Coverage in the current development plan for Z1 zoned land is 45% – 60%.
More information
The application reference is LRD6001/22-S3A (9th of August Application was LRD6001/22-S3)
A web site for the application is available at https://www.daneswelllrd.ie/
Last day for observations is Monday 26th of September 2022.
A guide to making a planning observation can be found here. Neasa’s observation here.
On 13th September at 8pm Neasa will host an online meeting to discuss the application, hear any observations from people in the area with a view to sending an observation to Dublin City Council. You can sign up for an invite to that meeting here.
Please get in contact with any queries at neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie


