Landlord Ires Reit has been refused permission for a new apartment block in Tallaght, Dublin, following an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.The property group had applied for permission in January to build a six-storey block of 38 apartments on a 0.34 hectare site formally known as Bruce House on Main Road in Tallaght, Dublin 24.The application was granted permission by South Dublin County Council on the condition Ires Reit included more three-bed apartments in the block, which would reduce the total number of apartments in the development to 33 units. The company appealed the ruling by the local authority to An Coimisiún Pleanála on the grounds the reduced scale of the project would compromise the viability of the scheme.“The development as permitted, with 33 units and the introduction of a significant cohort of three-bedroom units, renders the scheme unviable, with a great deal of uncertainty surrounding whether these units could ever be delivered,” Ires Reit said in its appeal.A third-party appeal against the project was also lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála by Tallaght Community Council. The group raised concerns about the height of the building proposed, arguing that it would result in overdevelopment of the site.It added that Ires Reit should not be permitted to have apartments at the ground-floor level because this would not result in an active street frontage in the village.An Coimisiún Pleanála said it considered an option of granting permission for fewer apartments on-site like the local authority did in its decision, but concluded this would not address matters of concern.The planning body said the project should not be allowed to proceed due to its proximity to Priorsgate apartments nearby. It said Ires Reit’s proposal would result in “overlooking and impacts on daylight to existing homes”. Ires Reit said in its appeal that it owns 108 apartments within the Priorsgate development and would not carry out a project that would adversely impact the value of its assets.An Coimisiún Pleanála said the design and layout of the apartment block would lead to “limited separation distances between the proposed and existing buildings in Priorsgate, causing overbearance, overlooking and impacting on daylight”.Led by chief executive Eddie Byrne, Ires Reit has more than 3,600 rental homes in its portfolio. In 2024, a recommendation in a strategic review of the listed company said it should dispose of 315 homes over three to five years and reinvest revenue generated in new stock. In February, the company disclosed that it disposed of 107 rental homes from its portfolio for a total of €34.9 million since 2024.The Tallaght project formed part of Ires Reit’s plans to add new units to its portfolio of homes. In recent months, the company also struck out a deal to buy 77 apartments for almost €32 million in the Harbour Gate residential development in Naas, Co Kildare.