Refusal for 20 apartments in centre of Dundalk appealed

The decision by Louth County Council to refuse planning permission for 20 apartments has been appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála (formerly An Bord Pleanála).

Nera Investments Ltd had applied to Louth County Council last November, for planning permission for the development on lands at 23 and 24 Francis Street, Dundalk. The applicant sought the go ahead for a six-storey over basement mixed-use development, comprising the provision of a ground floor office and a retail unit, along with ten, one-bed apartments and ten, two-bed apartments. 

The planning application also provided for the demolition of the existing two-storey office and retail buildings on the site; and bin, bicycle and bulky goods storage along with storage and plant rooms at basement level.

Louth County Council had sought further information on the proposed development in January of this year, with the applicant submitting further information in May and again this month.

The decision to refuse planning permission was made on 25 August, with the local planning authority giving five reasons for its refusal. Included in its decision, Louth County Council said that the proposed development "has not been revised to address concerns regarding the internal layout and density. The Planning Authority requested a reduction in unit numbers to improve residential quality and address awkward room configurations."

It went on to say that: "The applicant did not make any changes and instead relied solely on compliance with minimum standards. This approach fails to meet the qualitative expectations set out in Policy Objective HOU 20 of the Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 (LCDP) (as varied), which requires a design-led approach to sustainable residential development, and Section 13.8.27 of the LCDP, which emphasises the importance of functional and well-designed apartment layouts.

"The lack of meaningful improvement results in a substandard living environment and constitutes overdevelopment of the site."

Other reasons for refusing planning permission included that: the applicant had not improved the provision of bulky goods storage or demonstrated that the proposed area is sufficient to serve all residential units; they had not provided any communal open space and has not made improvements to justify its omission; and that they had not revised the bin storage provision to adequately support a threebin system for the proposed 20 apartments and two commercial units."

Planning permission had previously been granted to Nera Investments Ltd in March 2024 for a mixed-use development on lands at 23 and 24 Francis Street, that included 20 apart-hotel units, comprising ten, one-bed apart-hotel rooms and ten two-bed apart-hotel rooms.

Nera Investments Ltd lodged the appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála against the decision by Louth County Council, on 15 September 2025. It is not yet known when a decision on the appeal will be made.