Green light for Denis O’Brien development

An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to a Denis O’Brien-backed company to construct a €50m luxury apartment complex in Donnybrook, Dublin 4 — in spite of strong opposition from local residents.

The decision brings to an end a 19-month planning saga that has now resulted in Mr O’Brien’s Purleigh Holdings securing planning permission for the 86 apartments across five blocks.

The firm lodged plans for a 90-unit plan last December in a revised application with the city council. However, this was reduced to 86 by Dublin City Council in its grant of permission last April which ordered the omission of a top floor in one apartment block.