Wright ‘asked architect to draw up plans for land’

PLANS for housing on land that two businessmen wanted rezoned were drawn up by an architect at the request of politician GV Wright, the planning tribunal heard yesterday.

The TD asked architect Edward Hogan to sketch the plans for housing on 70 acres of land at Portmarnock, owned by Denis Mahony and Noel Fox.

Mr Horgan told the tribunal he worked off a map sent to his office. Mr Wright told him the lands were owned by a friend. The request was made in 1991.

The architect said he did not send an invoice to the then Dublin county councillor because he was working for the Wright family at the time and hoped to get more projects in the future.

Mr Horgan said he was working to a deadline for submissions for a development plan.

Mr Wright and three other councillors, two of whom are deceased, have been accused by former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop of taking payments to get land at Drumnigh rezoned as residential. Mr Mahony’s 30-acre parcel was rezoned while Mr Fox withdrew his application.

Mr Wright denies taking a bribe in connection with the Mahony land but admits receiving what he says were legitimate political donations from Mr Dunlop.

Mr Mahony’s lands were rezoned to allow a low density, one house per hectare development. A Fingal County Council planner, Liam McGlynn, told the tribunal the housing density was increased in 1998. The 30 acres, bought for £190,000 in 1991, were sold for £13.5m in 2000. Part of Mr Fox’s acreage was rezoned as residential in 1998. Mr Mahony’s son John, in evidence, denied claims by Mr Dunlop he lobbied councillors before a vote to confirm the rezoning of his father’s lands in September 1993.