Council plans to apply in coming weeks for permission to build 153 homes at Gulistan Depot in Rathmines

Dublin City Council is getting ready to apply (to itself) for planning permission to build 153 social and cost-rental homes at the Gulistan Depot site in Rathmines.

The development is set to see five more units than previously planned, said Ruth Dowling, the council’s Housing Delivery executive manager, in a report to the South East Area Committee meeting on Monday.

These homes form part of a larger project to redevelop the site, including a primary care centre, community centre, and civic plaza.

Dublin City Council will be lodging its Part 8 planning application in the next two or three weeks,  Aisling Browne, senior executive officer in the council’s Housing and Regeneration division, told the committee.

Across the proposed new housing development, consisting of two residential buildings, there would be 87 social units, 20 of which will be general needs, and the remainder for older persons, she said.

The other 66 will be cost-rental, Browne said.

As part of the proposal, the council will also be renovating an old stone building on the site with a view to using this for cultural and community purposes, she said.

While the council is moving ahead with these plans, where is the HSE with its planning application to build the primary care centre? asked Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey.

The HSE submitted its planning application on 1 August. But, there has been no changes since the council, on 25 September, requested they provide additional information. 

The council raised concerns with the HSE about whether the centre, which would reach up to five storeys, would overlook or overshadow neighbours. And asked it to submit a report justifying the demolition of four structures on the site. 

The council hasn’t received any updates since then, Browne said.

“Wow,” Lacey said.

Independents 4 Change Councillor Pat Dunne wanted clarity on why, in a report on housing delivery, provided at the same area committee meeting, it said the council’s proposed housing development on the site would consist of 148 homes. But in this notice to proceed with a Part 8 planning application, it said there were 153.

There was in fact an increase in the number of units from the last time these plans were shown to councillors, Browne said. “There’s been some rationalising happening within the two blocks in order to try and increase the unit numbers.”

These five additional homes would be social homes, she said.

The hope is that the planning application will be lodged by mid-February, she said. “All going well, we hope to have a grant by May.”

Then, the council would hope to enter the detailed design phase over the summer, with a view to issuing the tender documents in September, she said. “All going well through a tender process, a successful contractor would be appointed by the end of 2027.”

Afterwards, the aim would be for construction work to be completed by mid-2029, she said.