Operator of Dublin Fields movie studios wins €276,000 planning levy battle
An Bord Pleanála has ruled that combined public infrastructure and special planning contributions to be paid by Lens Media Ltd to the council be reduced by a cumulative €276,018.
Lens Media has stated that the proposed film studios 'will more than double the current soundstage offering in Ireland' and once fully operational, it will directly support in the region of 2,800 jobs and a further 2,100 indirectly.
The board has reduced the planning contributions bill following an appeal by Lens Media.
In the ruling, the appeals board has upheld the argument put forward by the applicants that a special planning contribution of €143,112 be removed as the junction upgrades at the R120 Newcastle Village-Peamount Road referenced in the condition is not exceptional or specific to the proposed development.
The appeals board also ordered that a demand by the council that Lens Media Ltd pay a public infrastructure planning contribution be reduced by €132,906 from €8.859m to €8.72m.
The council found that contribution exemptions in relation to the South Dublin County Council Development Contribution Scheme 2021-2025 were not properly applied.
The appeals board stated that the council applied a commercial levy to 1,112sqm of the scheme which comprise switch-rooms, plant rooms, ancillary plant rooms and a standalone substation, all of which are listed as exempt from development contributions.
The board made its ruling following a 27-page inspector's report recommending the reduction in planning levies.
Last December, the council granted a 10-year planning permission to Lens Media Ltd for the 56-acre site which includes 20 individual structures amounting to over 74,000sqm of gross floor space.
A planning report by planning consultants Tom Phillips+ Associates lodged with the application stated that Dublin Fields 'will have all the elements that will lure top productions from around the world'.
The planning report stated that the project 'will be a world-class studio' and occupy the top tier of movie studios globally.
In their report, the consultants stated: 'We believe this will be the largest stage in the European Union, and a unifying step in making Ireland a new hub for the movie and TV industry.'
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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Operator of Dublin Fields movie studios wins €276,000 planning levy battle
An Bord Pleanála has ruled that combined public infrastructure and special planning contributions to be paid by Lens Media Ltd to the council be reduced by a cumulative €276,018. Lens Media has stated that the proposed film studios 'will more than double the current soundstage offering in Ireland' and once fully operational, it will directly support in the region of 2,800 jobs and a further 2,100 indirectly. The board has reduced the planning contributions bill following an appeal by Lens Media. In the ruling, the appeals board has upheld the argument put forward by the applicants that a special planning contribution of €143,112 be removed as the junction upgrades at the R120 Newcastle Village-Peamount Road referenced in the condition is not exceptional or specific to the proposed development. The appeals board also ordered that a demand by the council that Lens Media Ltd pay a public infrastructure planning contribution be reduced by €132,906 from €8.859m to €8.72m. The council found that contribution exemptions in relation to the South Dublin County Council Development Contribution Scheme 2021-2025 were not properly applied. The appeals board stated that the council applied a commercial levy to 1,112sqm of the scheme which comprise switch-rooms, plant rooms, ancillary plant rooms and a standalone substation, all of which are listed as exempt from development contributions. The board made its ruling following a 27-page inspector's report recommending the reduction in planning levies. Last December, the council granted a 10-year planning permission to Lens Media Ltd for the 56-acre site which includes 20 individual structures amounting to over 74,000sqm of gross floor space. A planning report by planning consultants Tom Phillips+ Associates lodged with the application stated that Dublin Fields 'will have all the elements that will lure top productions from around the world'. The planning report stated that the project 'will be a world-class studio' and occupy the top tier of movie studios globally. In their report, the consultants stated: 'We believe this will be the largest stage in the European Union, and a unifying step in making Ireland a new hub for the movie and TV industry.'
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Fresh blow for Dublin tourism as third hotel is refused
An Bord Pleanála has refused permission to Derek Murtagh's planned eight-storey, 81-bedroom hotel for Kevin Street Lower and Liberty Lane in Portobello, Dublin 8. A report prepared for Mr Murtagh by the Head of Hotels & Leisure at Savills, Tom Barrett, stated the planned hotel 'would be a good addition to this city centre area'. The refusal follows two hotel proposals by Eamon Waters's Sretaw Hotel Group failing to get permission to proceed this month. In one decision, the appeals board refused planning permission for a new 61-bedroom hotel close to St Stephen's Green in a new eight-storey hotel for a site known as Textile House on Johnson's Place and Clarendon Market opposite the Grafton Hotel in Dublin. In a second blow to the Sretaw Hotel Group, Dublin City Council planners refused planning permission to Mr Waters's Peachbeach UC for a 113-bedroom hotel for Baggot Street Lower as the scheme would cause serious injury to the special architectural character of the Georgian area. In relation to the Murtagh scheme, the board refused planning permission as it concluded the hotel's excessive scale, massing and architectural design would be visually overbearing with an abrupt transition within the historic terrace which would detract from the prevailing scale and architectural character of the traditional streetscape. The appeals board ruled the proposal would result in overdevelopment of the site and would negatively impact the setting of the Protected Structure. The appeals board also concluded that notwithstanding the revised scheme of reduced scale, it was not satisfied the proposed development would not seriously injure the residential amenities of the opposing properties on Liberty Lane by reason of overbearance, overlooking, potential noise and disturbance and access to daylight and sunlight. In the third ground for refusal, the board stated the board was not satisfied that the proposed development would provide an adequate level of public facilities such as a cafe, restaurant and bar uses to generate activity at street level throughout the day and night. The board also stated that it was not satisfied the operational management was adequately demonstrated as feasible in the absence of the provision of a designated loading bay off road.
Irish Times
03-05-2025
- Irish Times
Tourist hostel near Dublin's Camden Street granted planning
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