Pat Kenny Celebrates Planning Refusal for Dalkey Nursing Home
Broadcaster Pat Kenny expressed his delight today following a decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to refuse planning permission for a five-storey, 104-unit nursing home in Dalkey, Co Dublin. The proposed development, spearheaded by Richard Barrett’s Bartra Property, bordered the Kenny family home and had been the subject of a protracted planning dispute.
“I was delighted that the new Coimisiún Pleanála has seen the light of day,” Mr. Kenny said, reacting to the news. He described the proposal as “a huge block of concrete surrounded by 11 gardens” and suggested that “the folly of the application from the beginning should have been apparent to everyone.”
The core reason for the refusal, according to the planning commission, centered on the access road. The commission determined that the main access road “would have insufficient capacity to safely accommodate the intensified level of vehicular movements generated by the proposed development.” This assessment considered the road’s restricted width, the length of the narrow lane, and the absence of designated passing points.
Mr. Kenny emphasized the safety concerns that fueled his opposition, stating, “Our concern and every objector’s and observer’s concern was about safety and the constraints of the lane.” He lauded the 75-page report by ACP inspector Suzanne Kehely as “a very impressive piece of work,” noting that she “saw what we have been saying from the very, very beginning that this lane was impossible to serve the nursing home.”
He further commented on the thoroughness of the current board’s review, stating, “It looks like this new Board has a new approach to things because Here’s the most comprehensive examination of the whole scheme.” He believes the detailed analysis led to “the decision that should have been there from the very beginning.”
The battle over the Yonder site has spanned years. Mr. Kenny and his wife, Kathy, initially opposed Bartra’s plans as early as 2018. While Bartra secured permission for a smaller residential scheme in 2019, that permission lapsed. The nursing home proposal emerged in 2021, triggering a legal challenge that ultimately led to the High Court quashing a previous grant of permission issued by An Bord Pleanála in July 2023 and remitting the case back to the commission for fresh consideration.
Mr. Kenny also used the occasion to critique the planning system, suggesting a need for greater clarity regarding permissible development. “If we had a rules-based system where people were aware of the rules, this saga would never have happened,” he said. “If everyone knew what they could build permitted under the rules, then the objectors could see what is allowed and what isn’t.”
Despite his firm opposition to the nursing home, Mr. Kenny indicated openness to a more appropriate development on the site. “If the scale of the proposal is modest and sequenced, it can be built,” he stated. “We have always said we would love some sort of scheme to be built on the lands that would be sympathetic to the area. It is crying out for a more appropriate housing development instead of building huge blocks.”
The fate of a local badger sett was also a concern raised during the opposition to the scheme. Mr. Kenny confirmed today that the badgers remain “happily alive.”
Reflecting on the lengthy process, Mr. Kenny acknowledged the time commitment but highlighted a positive outcome. “Over the last eight years, we have got to know people in solidarity with each other and we have become very, very close friends – that is a bonus,” he said. He also noted the social connections forged through the shared experience, describing the meetings as fostering “a sociability that comes with that.” While acknowledging the saga had been “stressful” at times, he indicated a sense of closure.
When asked about a potential celebration, Mr. Kenny simply stated, “There will be a moment.”
