Dublin City Council's plans to proceed with the redevelopment of Fatima Mansions in Rialto have been approved by An Bord Pleanála, subject to any contaminated soil being removed from the site. The appeals board was concerned with the issue of possible soil contamination as the site was formerly used for coal storage and later for the disposal of ash and clinker material prior to 1940, when construction started on the original flats complex. This issue was the subject of correspondence between the board, the city council and the Environmental Protection Agency following the council's application for approval of its plans to demolish nine of the old blocks and replace them with 506 new apartments.
