Sunday 28 February 2010

Boxing clever: Dunne plans new south Dublin gym

Businessman Ben Dunne has sought planning permission to develop a gym and six all-weather soccer pitches on the site of the former Presentation Brothers playing fields at Glasthule, Co Dublin.

The former Dunnes Stores supremo plans to demolish the existing changing rooms and construct a two-storey fitness centre, the pitches and nearly 250 car parking spaces.

Dunne agreed to buy the 4.3-acre site in November 2008 for more than the asking price of €5m, subject to approval by the Representative Church Body.

Dunne owns gyms at Blanchardstown, Kimmage and Ballymun in Dublin. Last week he said he plans to expand into Europe using his low-cost model. Dunne has told the Sunday Tribune that, when he withdrew swimming and other facilities at Blanchardstown last year, he lost about 500 of the gym's 8,000 members.

Sunday Tribune

www.buckplanning,ie

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