Castle Stables and Courtyard at Rathfarnham

Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (as amended) Notice of Proposed Development By A Local Authority

Location: South Dublin County Council intends to carry out development at the former South Dublin County Council Depot, at the Stables and Courtyards of Rathfarnham Castle and the adjoining Sean Keating Garden, Grange Road/Rathfarnham Road, Dublin14 (D14 FC62 & D14 XT02), Rathfarnham Castle (Protected Structure RPS. 221) Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on a development site of 1.1725 hectares. The site is bounded by Castleside Drive to the north, Rathfarnham Road to the west and Rathfarnham Castle and its grounds to the south and east.

Nature & Extent of the Proposed Development:

Pursuant to the requirements of the above, notice is hereby given of the proposal to construct the following scheme by South Dublin County Council:

The development will consist of the refurbishment and change of use of the former stable buildings and former council depot yards, to provide mixed-use cultural/arts/cafe/ restaurant uses together with retail use, WC’s, storage areas and a switch room.

Detailed Description of the works:

1.Works to the building to the north of the castle known as Cromwell’s Fort (GFA 269m2), and its change of use to two multi-purpose event spaces and associated lobby areas. 

The proposed works to include:

1. the removal of a modern flat roof covering and the replacement with a pitched roof with zinc finish and rendered masonry gable-ends;
2. the removal of the existing solid floor to the southern internal room and replacement with a new insulated floor slab and the insertion of a new raised floor to the northern room;
3. the removal of infill blockwork from existing openings and the provision of new windows and doors to existing openings;
4. Installation of new services, partitions and repair and repointing works as required, including application of lime render finish.

2.Works to the existing single storey former stable buildings (GFA 591m2) within the existing courtyards to the north of the Castle and change of use to cultural/arts spaces, retail, café/restaurant, public toilets and ancillary lobby, storage and services spaces. The proposed works to include:

1. the removal of temporary roof coverings and the replacement with slate roof coverings;
2. the minor modification of roof profiles above 2no. entrance doorways to provide sufficient head height at entrances;
3. the removal of temporary bracing to windows and doors and replacement with new windows and doors to existing openings;
4. the insertion of a new opening to the western perimeter wall to provide a new public entrance to the courtyard immediately to the north of the castle, and the closing up of an adjacent existing doorway opening;
5. The creation of new openings within dividing walls of the existing stable buildings to provide improved connection between the buildings;
6. The construction of a new single-storey mono-pitch extension (GFA 83m2) to the northern elevation of a former stable building;
7. New insulated floor slabs, installation of new services and repair, repointing and lime render works as required.

3.The provision of a new single storey café and restaurant and ancillary support space (area GFA 528m2) within the former council depot yards comprising:

1. The demolition of a section of wall to the north-west to provide access between the proposed restaurant dining area and back of house areas;
2. The construction of a single storey mono-pitch structure in the north-west corner including clerestory windows facing north and west along the existing perimeter walls of the site to provide a café/restaurant dining area, and an associated single storey flat-roof structure to the north to provide ancillary support to the café/restaurant, including kitchens, staff and visitor WCs;
3. The provision of an internal plant room to the rear;
4. The provision of external ancillary support areas including a screened bin store, screened plant enclosure at ground level and screened rooftop plant enclosure;
5. The provision of two new openings within the existing western perimeter wall to facilitate the insertion of secure entrance gates, to provide staff, deliveries and bin store access to the rear of the ancillary space and bin storage areas;
6. The provision of four new openings within the existing western perimeter wall to facilitate the insertion of new glazed window openings to the café/restaurant;
7. Repairs and repointing to the existing walls as required.

4.The provision of new, single storey, slated roof structures to the existing structures (GFA 33m2) to the north of the building known as the Seismograph Building consisting of:

1. A secure bike store area and provision of 10no. long term bicycle storage spaces including 1no. enlarged bicycle space for a cargo bike;
2. A secure bin storage area for the retail spaces;

5.The demolition and reconstruction of the walls to the north and west of the northernmost former depot yard;

6.The provision of a new car park on part of the Sean Keating garden adjacent to the boundary with Castleside Drive, with entry from the existing Rathfarnham Road car park, including:

1. the demolition of 2no. existing gate posts and part of the adjacent existing garden wall and railings, and the removal of 14no. existing trees to facilitate the construction of a new pedestrian and vehicular entrance, pedestrian footpath and delivery drop-off area;
2. the regrading and relevelling of the existing sunken pond and garden area to provide 54 no. car parking spaces (including 4no. accessible parking spaces and 10 no. EV parking spaces) and 42 no. short-term bicycle parking spaces to the north of the site and associated landscaping;

1. The reconfiguration of the existing pedestrian entrance gate and new hard and soft landscaping to the north-west corner of the site to facilitate improved pedestrian access;

7.All associated site services, site development works and landscaping comprising:

1. Removal of temporary cabin structures from the existing former council depot yards and associated site clearances;
2. The construction of new gated entrance and railings between Rathfarnham Castle forecourt and the proposed site;
3. The removal of 4no. car spaces from the existing Rathfarnham Road car park to provide a new enlarged pavement area adjacent to the entrance to the Café/Restaurant;
4. The reallocation of the existing bus set down area to accommodate a universally accessible set down area;
5. The local regrading of the footpath within the Rathfarnham Road car park along the perimeter wall to the west of the courtyards to provide accessible entrance points to the courtyards;
6. The removal of part of southern end of the existing low level boundary wall between the existing car park and Rathfarnham Road to facilitate a new raised table and improved pedestrian crossing point; installation of a new access control gate to the carpark entrance from Rathfarnham Road;
7. The regrading and relevelling of the existing surfaces to facilitate universal access throughout the site
8. The provision of new hard and soft landscaping to the existing courtyards;
9. The provision of new secure entrance gates to the existing openings between the park and courtyards;
10. The infilling with masonry construction of an existing unused entrance between the northern courtyard and the park to facilitate the regrading of the courtyard.
11. Installation of new drainage, attenuation and site services and associated trenching and reinstatement works.
12. Installation of new external site lighting to the car parking areas and courtyard spaces;
13. Repairs and repointing of existing structures throughout, as required.

The former council depot yards and former stable buildings fall within the zone of notification for Rathfarnham Castle, a National Monument (RMP DU022-014, Nat.Mon. 628) and a Protected Structure (RPS. 221)

The proposed Part 8 development has undergone Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening under Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended). No likely significant effects were identified during the AA and EIA Screening processes, or during an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) prepared for the proposed development. Therefore, there is no requirement to proceed to the next stage of AA or for a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) to be produced. In addition, the proposed development is not a type of development that triggers the requirement for an EIA and subsequent preparation of an EIA Report as per the prescribed classes of development and thresholds set out in Schedule 5 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended). Any person may, within 4 weeks from the date of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanála for a screening determination as to whether the proposed development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Persons wishing to inspect drawings and particulars of the proposed development in person can do so as follows:

Plans and particulars of the proposed scheme will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy for a period of four weeks from Thursday 8^th May 2025 to Friday 6^th June 2025 only; at the Planning Department counter in the offices of South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24 between the hours 10.00am – 12.00 noon & 2.00pm to 4.00pm Monday to Friday, and at Ballyroan Library, Orchardstown Avenue, Dublin 14, D14 Vy33 between the hours 9.45am – 8pm Monday to Thursday and 9.45am to 4.30pm Friday to Saturday. Hours may differ at public and bank holidays.

The plans and particulars of the proposed development are also available for inspection online on the Councils Public Consultation Portal website (http://consult.sdublincoco.ie) during the period: 8^th of May 2025 to 20^th of June 2025

Submissions:

Submissions or observations in relation to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated, may be made as follows:

Online at https://consult.sdublincoco.ie up to 11.59pm on Friday 20^th of June 2025

Or

Written submissions not later than 5.00pm, on Friday 20^th of June 2025 to: Administrative Officer, County Promotion Unit, Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development, South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Submissions should be labelled “Castle Stables and Courtyard at Rathfarnham”.

NOTE: Please make your submission by one medium only. Only submissions received by Friday 20^th of June 2025 and addressed as set out above, will be considered. Submissions cannot be accepted in any other format or to any other postal address. Submissions and observations should state the name, address, and, where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company etc. which you represent.

Signed: Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development South Dublin County Council

Website: www.sdcc.ie