The Lower House, Gonzaga College, Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, D06 X8W3
Data updated 12 Sept 2026 · register lag up to 7 days · sources & freshness
WEB5857/25 is a planning application for permission at The Lower House, Gonzaga College, Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, D06 X8W3, received by Dublin City Council on 3 Dec 2025 and first seen by Planning Register on 11 Sept 2026. The application describes: Change of Use and Development at this site. The Change of Use is from storage (north building), two disused residential units in poor condition (west building), and semi-derelict outbuildings (eastern side), to a primary school for children with additional needs. The development will be located within and extending beyond the courtyard of the disused buildings and outbuildings at the Lower House, Gonzaga College, Sandford Road, Dublin 6, D06 X8W3. The proposed development will comprise (a) the extension in area and in height, and the reconfiguring of the existing three storey pitched roof structure (area 139 sq.m) at the western boundary of the site which is extended by 1.9m in height and will have a revised total area of 328 sq.m; (b) the extension in area and in height, and the reconfiguring of the existing two storey pitched roof structure (area 134 sq.m) at the northern boundary which is extended by 1.51m in height and will have a revised total area of 148 sq.m; (c) the demolition of single storey outbuildings and WC block (area 56 sq.m) at the eastern side of the courtyard, and their replacement with a new two storey building 6.71m in height and 72 sq.m in area; (d) the construction of a new three storey, two storey and single storey covered walkway on the inner sides of the courtyard on its western, northern and eastern sides, connecting to one open staircase and one enclosed staircase and lift, to give access to all levels of the building; (e) the construction of a new single storey monopitch extension to the south-west (area 175 sq.m.) with a height of 6.25m reducing to 4.12m; (f) reconfiguring and extension of the existing single storey former cricket changing pavilion (area 87 sq.m extending to 112 sq.m); and (g) gates to the courtyard. Play space will be provided in the courtyard and within a defined area of the small walled garden to the east, shared with Gonzaga College. Gross internal floor area of the development (excluding open walkways) is 869 sq.m. The courtyard of buildings will contain 7 no. classrooms, each with an accessible WC, 4 no. quiet spaces; 2no. sensory rooms, library, multi-purpose room, associated administration offices and staff areas. Courtyard space and the walled garden to the east will contain play-space for the School. The development will also include 6 staff parking spaces including an accessible space, 8 bicycle spaces, external heat pumps & screen; the provision of a new turning space for school minibuses to the south-west; a vehicle passing space on the entrance drive; attenuation pond and ancillary site development works within the walled garden (shared with Gonzaga College). The council granted permission on 27 Mar 2026. The five-week observation window closed on 16 Jan 2026. An Coimisiún Pleanála decided appeal 501225 on 25 Aug 2026 (grant). The site is zoned null under the Dublin City Council development plan. Within 500 m there are 120 other decided applications in the last five years and 25 appeals.
Proposal
Change of Use and Development at this site. The Change of Use is from storage (north building), two disused residential units in poor condition (west building), and semi-derelict outbuildings (eastern side), to a primary school for children with additional needs. The development will be located within and extending beyond the courtyard of the disused buildings and outbuildings at the Lower House, Gonzaga College, Sandford Road, Dublin 6, D06 X8W3. The proposed development will comprise (a) the extension in area and in height, and the reconfiguring of the existing three storey pitched roof structure (area 139 sq.m) at the western boundary of the site which is extended by 1.9m in height and will have a revised total area of 328 sq.m; (b) the extension in area and in height, and the reconfiguring of the existing two storey pitched roof structure (area 134 sq.m) at the northern boundary which is extended by 1.51m in height and will have a revised total area of 148 sq.m; (c) the demolition of single storey outbuildings and WC block (area 56 sq.m) at the eastern side of the courtyard, and their replacement with a new two storey building 6.71m in height and 72 sq.m in area; (d) the construction of a new three storey, two storey and single storey covered walkway on the inner sides of the courtyard on its western, northern and eastern sides, connecting to one open staircase and one enclosed staircase and lift, to give access to all levels of the building; (e) the construction of a new single storey monopitch extension to the south-west (area 175 sq.m.) with a height of 6.25m reducing to 4.12m; (f) reconfiguring and extension of the existing single storey former cricket changing pavilion (area 87 sq.m extending to 112 sq.m); and (g) gates to the courtyard. Play space will be provided in the courtyard and within a defined area of the small walled garden to the east, shared with Gonzaga College. Gross internal floor area of the development (excluding open walkways) is 869 sq.m. The courtyard of buildings will contain 7 no. classrooms, each with an accessible WC, 4 no. quiet spaces; 2no. sensory rooms, library, multi-purpose room, associated administration offices and staff areas. Courtyard space and the walled garden to the east will contain play-space for the School. The development will also include 6 staff parking spaces including an accessible space, 8 bicycle spaces, external heat pumps & screen; the provision of a new turning space for school minibuses to the south-west; a vehicle passing space on the entrance drive; attenuation pond and ancillary site development works within the walled garden (shared with Gonzaga College).
- Status
- Decision Appealed
- Decision
- Grant permission on 27 Mar 2026
- Site (from polygon)
- 1,442 m²
- Location precision
- site (coords_polygon)
Timeline
- 3 Dec 2025New applicationObservation window closed 16 Jan 2026
- 4 Feb 2026Further information requested
- 2 Mar 2026Further information received
- 27 Mar 2026DecisionAppeal window closed 24 Apr 2026
- 28 Apr 2026Appeal lodged
Full planning report for 53.31777, -6.25050
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1 Where this is — preview
1 Deadlines still open
Appeal
Commencement
No commencement notice matched to this reference.
Zoning at the site
Zone Z2 - DEV PLAN 2022-2028
Z1: Sustainable Residential Neighbourhoods: To protect, provide and improve residential amenities.
An established residential area. The objective is to protect existing residential amenity as well as to provide housing — which is the objective a neighbour's objection to an overbearing extension is usually argued under.
Z15: Community and Social Infrastructure: To protect and provide for community uses and social infrastructure.
Reserved for the schools, creches, community and health facilities a neighbourhood needs.
Designations within 250 m
No OPW flood extent nearby.
- Radon risk area · 1
Provenance
Register row from the national planning applications feed (NPAD), fetched 11 Sept 2026, 18:51 (store id 86137). Deadlines were computed by the store from the received / decided dates under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and are recorded as events, not recomputed here.
Source: npad · fetched 11 Sept 2026, 18:51
| Source | Licence | Fetched | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| npad | CC-BY-4.0 | 11 Sept 2026, 18:51 | open |