Tuesday 16 September 2008

Desmond lawyers oppose Dunne’s tower appeal

LAWYERS for financier Dermot Desmond strongly opposed property developer Sean Dunne’s €1 billion development plan for a 37-storey tower on the controversial, seven-acre Jurys/Berkely Court site in Ballsbridge at the resumed Bord Pleanála hearing in Dublin yesterday.

And there were allegations of trying to turn the hearing into a “circus” by the legal team representing Mr Dunne.

They objected when Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton gave evidence that she was standing over her claim that there was intimidation of people opposed to the development who attended a public meeting in the RDS in September last year. However, Ms Creighton was allowed to give evidence and said she stood over remarks made on her behalf at the hearing last week, that there had been intimidation of people who had tried to voice their objections at the public meeting.



Mr Dunne paid €380m for the site in the heart of Ballsbridge in 2005. His plans include a shopping centre, hotel, 294 apartments, offices and embassy building. His plans for a 37-storey tower has been rejected by Dublin City Council and Mr Dunne appealed the choice.

Counsel for Dermot Desmond, Michael O’Donnell, said the proposed tower clearly obscured the view of the Pepper Cannister Church and had to be refused planning permission.

The proposed development “flew in the face of every planning principle and was fundamentally flawed”.

Yesterday’s hearing was also told the development posed a real danger of flooding for local residents and would result in the removal of all trees on the site.

Irish Examiner

www.buckplanning.ie

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