The plan revive the construction of Adamstown in west Dublin has been given a green light by An Bord Pleanála.

The board has however blocked South Dublin County Council from implementing what it says were “excessive” reductions in housing density to Adamstown.

The council wanted to lower the density of development in Adamstown by 20 per cent to allow the construction of more houses in response to the “near cessation” of building work in the new suburb. The council proposal could have doubled the proportion of houses to apartments.

Permission has been granted for about 3,250 homes, 40%  of which were apartments, 32% duplex units and less than 30% houses. However, only 28% of apartments permitted were actually built, compared with almost 50% of houses and 56% of duplexes.

Amending the SDZ to reduce densities by 20 per cent would still deliver 6,655 to 8,145 homes, said the council, but 66 per cent would be houses and the remaining 34 per cent would be apartments and duplex units.

The board has approved much of the council’s proposed changes, but would not approve the lower densities, which would have seen houses only built in several large estates.