Concerns over planned development for 12 apartments on Blackmill Street

Concerns were raised over the scale of a planning application to build 12 one-bedroomed apartments on one of the city’s most historic streets at a meeting on Thursday night at the Chapter House at St Mary's Cathedral.
Local residents pointed out that they have no issue with welcoming new people to the area but stressed that they had concerns about the scale of the proposed development and how it would fit into the street pattern of one of the city's oldest streets.
Green Party Councillor Malcolm Noonan attended the meeting along with a number of other local public representatives.
“While not commenting on this application, I think that participative pre planning meetings with local stakeholders would lead to better outcomes for all concerned; project developers would be less likely to end up in long drawn out planning processes and local residents would not be forced into adversarial processes without the expertise or resources to challenge a development in their area, Cllr Noonan said.
“Pre planning workshops with local stakeholders should be the default setting for us as a planning authority. It is my hope that a middle ground can be reached here that will provide much needed housing in the city, but we have to be mindful that it is our role as planners to create and co design sustainable and cohesive communities too,” said Cllr Noonan.
The application is by the Good Shepherd Centre at the site of the old snooker hall on Blackmill Street.