The proposal has been turned down.
Bartra Capital’s proposal for a major “co-living” development in Cookstown, Tallaght has been rejected by An Bórd Pleanála.
The proposal, the first of its kind to be considered by An Bórd Pleanála, pertained to 222 co-living units and 150 apartments. The co-living units would have seen 40 units on each floor, with each floor serviced by just one kitchen/living area.
The plan is similar to another outstanding proposal by Bartra Capital in Dun Laoghaire. In that case, the developers are also proposing a situation in which one kitchen will be shared by 40 tenants – at a cost of €1,300 per month.
According to RTÉ, the decision by An Bórd Pleanála argued that the proposal would “fail to provide an acceptable living environment,” pointing in particular to a “notable shortfall in the provision of sufficient communal facilities”.
JOE has laid out similar arguments against Bartra’s other plans here.
Ministerial guidelines from the Department of Housing allow for single bedrooms to be as small as 12m squared, which is roughly the same size as a disabled parking spot. The guidelines propose as many as 12 people per kitchen in a co-living unit, but do not limit the number of people per kitchen/living area.
A group called Tallaght Community Council have welcomed the decision, posting on Facebook: “Jobs and enterprise for Cookstown – not a glut of tiny apartments for rent. Our local area plan should be priority – now two years behind schedule.”
Co-living apartments have come under intense scrutiny since plans such as those above have become known to the public, and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy referred to them as “exciting” for young people.
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