Avalon House - Family Hub Emergency Accommodation Centre - Part 8 Planning Consultation

Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended)

Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) - Part 8

Applicant: Dublin Region Homeless Executive

Location: The location of the proposed works is Avalon House, 55 Aungier Street Dublin 2 D02CX54 a Protected Structure and 1B Whitefriar Place, Dublin 8, D08P5K6 a Protected Structure.

Image description: Avalon House Street View

Proposal: Pursuant to the requirements of the above, notice is hereby given of the proposed development which will consist of the Change of Use of Avalon House, 55 Aungier Street, Dublin 2, and 1B Whitefriar Place, Dublin 8, from a tourist hostel to a family hub providing short term emergency accommodation to homeless families, including the provision of 19 units with communal facilities, staff facilities, bin storage and all associated works, comprising:

(a) Conservation works to include at 55 Aungier St.: upgrade works to basement floor and walls, removal of non-breathable finishes on historic building elements, maintenance and repair works to historic windows, localised repair to historic masonry. At 1B Whitefriar Place: conservation work to shopfront, maintenance and repairs to historic windows, protection of surviving historic floors, maintenance and repairs to roof.

(b) Fire safety upgrade works to include fire compartmentation, protected stairways, corridors and lobbies; provision of automatic opening vents to the roof over two no. stairwells; installation of emergency lighting and fire detection alarm systems.

(c) General refurbishment works to include internal layout changes, removal of internal partition walls, mezzanine floors and services, replacement of the existing lift and addition of a second lift, new plumbing, electrical, ventilation systems, change of one ground floor window of 55 Aungier St (facing onto Whitefriar Place) into a door.

The proposal has undergone Appropriate Assessment Screening in accordance with Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and screening for Environmental Impact Assessment under the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU. In accordance with Article 81(2) (ca) of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001, as amended, the Planning Authority has made a determination and concluded that:

(a) The proposed development, either individually or in combination with other plans and projects, is not likely to have a significant effect on any European site(s) and therefore the application for consent for the proposed development does not require a Stage II Appropriate Assessment or the preparation of a Natura Impact Statement (NIS).

(b) The proposed development is sub-threshold in relation to the criteria and thresholds set out in Article 120(1)(b)(i) of the Planning and Development (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2018, as amended. It is concluded having regard to the nature, scale and location of the subject site, that the proposed development, by itself or in combination with other projects, is not likely to have significant effects on the environment (direct, indirect or cumulatively with other development). Accordingly, it is considered that an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required.