UK retail giant Hammerson has secured planning permission to construct 10 padel courts on lands at its Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre in north Dublin.
The temporary grant of permission for five years by Fingal County Council for the 10 padel courts at the shopping centre on the Malahide Road in Swords reverses a refusal imposed by the Council on Hammerson only five months ago in March.
In its March refusal to the 10 padel court scheme, the council stated that the proposed development, if permitted, would be prejudicial to the construction phase of the Metrolink project at the location.
However, in the new planning application, the applicants enclosed a submission from Metrolink stating that the lands will not be required for Metrolink and that it supported the padel application.
The Council has granted planning permission after concluding that the proposal would regenerate a vacant space within a town centre location whilst contributing to the available sports and recreational facilities in the wider area.
The Council stated that furthermore, the applicant has provided sufficient information to demonstrate the proposed layout would not conflict with or prejudice the construction phase of the Metrolink project.
Planning consultant for Hammerson, Stephen Little & Associates told the Council that “the refusal arose from a misunderstanding regarding the extent of lands required for the delivery of MetroLink works to the north-east of the site”.
Mr Little said that clarification has been provided as part of the current application “to demonstrate that the proposed development would not prejudice the delivery of the MetroLink project”.
Mr Little stated that the applicant has liaised with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) prior to the making of the new application, who is satisfied that the proposed padel court facility will not prejudice the neighbouring MetroLink construction works.
Mr Little stated that TII advised that it has no objection to the application.
The new plan includes a 10 metre landscape buffer that will ensure that the proposed padel courts are set back an appropriate distance from the adjacent lands required for the MetroLink R132 footbridge removal works.
Mr Little stated that the proposal directly responds to the growing popularity of padel tennis and to health and well-being activitieswithin Swords and the wider Fingal area.
The padel courts were subject to a single objection from Michelle Hickey of The Fairways, Donabate.
Ms Hickey told the Council that “we do need more sports facilities, but not ones that are not thought out and make everyone else’s life more difficult”.
Ms Hickey said that “there are major traffic issues at this shopping centre already, and it’s very difficult to get in and out to do basic shopping or to access Swords Main Street”.
“I don’t think the Pavilions Shopping Centre should add to the already problematic access and parking until these issues are addressed,” she added.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
