This follows An Bord Pleanála upholding Fingal County Council’s condition in the planning permission that a “critical” new road to serve the development be excluded.
The planned road resulted in the local Church of Ireland and local residents objecting to the scheme.
However, applicants, Tetrarch Capital, through WSHI UC and the Michael J Wright hospitality group, lodged an appeal to An Bord Pleanála seeking to have the new road included and are also appealing against four other conditions attached to the permission.
In the appeal, consultants for the applicants, O’Neill Town Planning, stated that the imposition of the conditions has unnecessarily compromised the applicants’ plan “to provide a sensitively considered project with adequate services to allow for a sustainable development within the castle and its immediate precincts”.
The consultants stated from a transport, planning and conservation viewpoint, the inclusion of the road is critical.
However, in its decision, the appeals board ruled that the new road not proceed, having regard to the High Amenity zoning objective, its location within the Howth Castle Architectural Conservation Area and the Buffer Zone for the Howth Special Area of Conservation Area.
The board found that the works required to construct the road “would result in excessive interventions in the historic landscape and would impact on features of heritage value to the overall character and setting of the Howth Castle Demense”.
In a submission to the appeals board, the council stated that the new road was “unnecessary”.
The council stated that the issue was raised initially in pre-planning discussions and the applicant was advised to seek alternative options.
Board inspector, Elaine Sullivan, stated the reasoning behind the road proposal is accepted where the reconnection between the castle demesne and the sunken garden would be a conservation gain and would provide a pleasant environment for pedestrians. However, Ms Sullivan said she shared the council’s concerns over the level of intervention required for the road.
The applicants stated that the council is mistaken in its view that the new road would serve only the castle, wedding venue and related tourism projects.