Residential development for elderly at Castle Road in Dundalk gets go ahead

An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission, with revised conditions, for a 59 apartment, independent living residential development for the elderly, at the site of the Value Centre Cash and Carry at Castle Road in Dundalk.

Independent Trustee Company Ltd applied for planning permission in August 2020 for the development on the site which is bound to the north by vacant land and the rear of properties at Castle Road, to the east by Scoil Naisiunta Realt na Mara, to the south by the rear of residences at Mill Street and to the west by the rear of residences at Castle Road.

Permission was sought for the demolition of the existing vacant cash and carry warehouses building, clearance of hardstanding and the construction of a managed, independent living residential development for the elderly. The proposed development would comprise a part four and part five storey, 80 unit residential property of 62 one-bed and 18 two-bed units, with private open space. Significant Further Information received by Louth County Council in July 2021, saw a revised planned development comprising a part three and part six storey, 78 unit residential property of 30 one-bed, 24  1.5-bed and 24 two-bed units.

A significant number of submissions objecting to the planned development was made, including from local residents, local councillors and the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society. Reasons for objecting to the development included the planned height of six storeys, traffic assessment, the visual impact it would have on Seatown Castle.

Louth County Council granted conditional planning permission on 6 August 2021 for 59 apartments, with the permitted use confined to independent living residential development for the elderly. The decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála on 2 September 2021 by the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society, Ms Lorraine Scully & local residents. It was also appealed by Independent Trustee Company Ltd, who were appealing against Louth County Council's decision to omit 19 units from the proposed development and the requirement to submit a revised floor plan which would see the omission of the sixth storey and seven apartments from the fifth storey.

An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the development on 21 September, subject to 26 conditions, including that the development would comprise 59 apartments that would be solely used as an independent living residential development for the elderly; omission of the sixth storey and seven apartments from the fifth storey; and details of a proposed covenant or legal agreement confirming that the development would remain owned and operated by an institutional entity for a minimum of 15 years and no individual units would be sold separately during that time.