Wicklow film firm used by Baz Ashmawy appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála over refusal for new studio
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Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Way now clear for billionaire James Dyson to build helicopter landing area at sprawling Waterford estate
The ruling by An Coimisiún Pleanála follows a decision by Waterford City and County Council to grant planning permission for the landing pad as well as a new wastewater treatment for Ballynatray House on the Ballynatray Estate on the Cork-Waterford border outside Youghal. The plans for the helicopter landing area had been criticised for disturbing local wildlife 'for the sake of one person's travelling convenience'. The planning application was made in the name of Christopher Nicholson, the manager of Ballynatray Estate. Dyson – one of Britain's richest individuals and one of the strongest advocates in support of the Brexit campaign for Britain to leave the EU – bought Ballynatray House, a protected structure, and its 850-acre estate for €29.25m last year. Its previous owner, Henry Gwyn-Jones, a British property developer, had bought the estate for more than €11m in 2004. In a letter on the planning files, Dyson confirmed he was the ultimate beneficial owner of the property, which is held on his behalf by Glashedy Fitzwilliam Trustees Limited. Ballynatray House had been operated as an exclusive country house with guest accommodation by its previous owner, but planning files show Dyson intends to use the mansion as a single residence. The proposed helicopter landing area is located around 525 metres to the north-east of Ballynatray House in an agricultural field screened from the mansion by planting. An environmental report submitted with the planning application said it had been 'objectively concluded that the proposed development will not adversely affect the integrity of Natura 2000 sites and there is no reasonable scientific doubt in relation to this conclusion'. Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas covering Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. A consultant hired by the applicant said the ecological impact would be 'low and localised in the long term' He added: 'Although there may be short-term disturbance during the work phase, no significant impacts on birds or important mammals are expected to occur.' Other reports also said the proposed development would have no impact on the house, which was constructed in 1795-1797. The objector, David Orr, who lives across from Ballynatray House on the opposite side of the Blackwater, said the landing area would have a high impact on the surrounding environment from helicopters approaching, taking off and landing. Mr Orr claimed the relatively low-level approach currently used by a helicopter landing at Ballynatray House was directly over Ardsallagh Woodlands, which was part of a Special Conservation Area. He said it posed 'a high risk of disturbance to wildlife within the surrounding area' that was home to a large number of species of birds and mammals. Mr Orr said the woodlands were an important nesting site for a range of birds including herons, egrets, cormorants, owls and buzzards as well as being a habitat for otters, red squirrels, badgers, foxes, fallow deer and stoats. He claimed that 'this little oasis' was very vulnerable to disturbance and that the intrusion of helicopters into an environmentally sensitive area would be detrimental. 'It seems to be that for the sake of one person's travelling convenience a large number of both human and non-human inhabitants of this area are going to be disturbed,' Mr Orr said. Planning documents submitted on behalf of Dyson noted that the responsibility of taking on such an important estate and designed landscape was understood. They revealed that long-term plans included woodland management and the continued repair and conservation of Molana Abbey and Templemichael Church, which are located within the estate. An Coimisiún Pleanála ruled that Mr Orr's appeal was invalid as it was not accompanied by an acknowledgement by Waterford City and County council of his original submission on the planning application.
Irish Independent
17 hours ago
- Irish Independent
British billionaire's plan for helicopter pad at €35m Waterford home appealed as neighbours object
An appeal has been lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála against a helicopter pad planned for Ballynatray House, which was recently sold to British billionaire James Dyson for around €35 million.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Second Estuary View apartment plan for Bessborough site rejected
Another set of plans for an apartment development on lands of the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork City has been rejected just days after an even larger apartment complex in a separate part of the grounds was refused planning permission. An Coimisiún Pleanála — formerly known as An Bord Pleanála — ruled that a proposal by developer Estuary View Enterprises (EVE) 2020 Limited, to demolish a large number of agricultural buildings and construct 140 apartments on the grounds of Bessborough House in Blackrock failed to meet the planning requirements in terms of unit mix. Just 1% of apartments in the scheme named The Farm were three-bed units compared to the target of 28% set by Cork City Council. An Coimisiún Pleanála said the plans for the 5.1-hectare site represented a material contravention of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 with no justification provided by the developer for its unit mix. However, the commission did not adopt a recommendation of its own planning inspector that the application should also be refused planning permission because it was not satisfied that the site was not previously used as a children's burial ground. The inspector, Colin McBride, said such a reason had been the basis for An Bord Pleanála to reject two earlier proposed developments in other parts of the Bessborough lands and it would similarly be premature to approve The Farm scheme. The Meadows plan also rejected The decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála comes just after it rejected plans by the same developer for a 280-unit apartment scheme, The Meadows, on a 2.29-hectare site in the Bessborough grounds. An Coimisiún Pleanála based its refusal in relation to that site on both the unit mix and excessive scale of the plans which it ruled would be 'visually obtrusive' as well as constituting a substandard form of 'incongruous' development. However, it also did not adopt a similar recommendation by Mr McBride that planning permission should also be refused over concerns about potential burial grounds of children. An artist's impression of a proposed bridge to the Blackrock to Passage West greenway as part of the proposed 280-unit Meadows scheme at Bessborough which was rejected last week by An Coimisiun Pleanála. The two proposals are part of a three-part masterplan by EVE to open up a large part of the Bessborough lands for the creation of new communities and a large publicly-accessible parkland area. A planning application has still to be submitted for the proposed third phase of 200 apartments in a western part of the grounds. Permissions for the Farms and Meadows schemes were sought under the process for strategic housing developments which obviated the need to first submit an application to Cork City Council. However, the local authority recommended that EVE's planning application for the Farm scheme should be approved subject to a number of conditions including the omission of one of the proposed five apartment blocks and a reduction in the height of two other buildings. It also supported the separate plans for the Meadows scheme. In contrast, elected members of Cork City Council at a meeting in 2022 were generally opposed to both developments due to concerns about historic legacy issues associated with the sites and the appropriateness of the projects. An aerial view of the former Bessborough convent in Blackrock, Cork City, where the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary ran a mother and baby home from 1922 until 1998. Picture: Denis Scannell The Farm scheme had also provided for a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Passage West Greenway while two repurposed farmyard buildings were due to be used for some apartment units as well as a creche, library, lounge and function space. Estuary View Enterprises said it had met with the Cork Survivors & Supporters Alliance (CSSA) at an early stage of the design process for the Farm scheme because of the sensitivity associated with the location. However, the developer said the locations within the Bessborough lands that were of concern to the group which they wanted preserved were outside the company's control but that the CSSA had no objection to the principle of the Farm scheme.
