Developer to face action over demolition

Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent

The development company, Budelli Ltd, demolished a section of the seven-storey building although it only had permission to refurbish it and convert it into apartments.

One of the principal partners in the company is former Irish rugby manager, Pat Whelan.

Dick Tobin, senior planning officer with Limerick City Council said yesterday they had sent all the papers in relation to the development to their solicitors.

“I think a judge will have to give a view on this,” Mr Tobin said.

The council sent an official to the site armed with a camera after a huge 40ft high screen was erected around the site.

Pictures taken by the official revealed that about one third of the old hotel building had been knocked down.

City Manager Tom Mackey immediately intervened and issued an enforcement order to Bundelli Ltd to immediately comply with the conditions of the planning permission. Since then the council has been carrying out regular inspections of the site.

Defence Minister Willie O’Dea and Limerick Mayor Michael Hourigan have condemned the action of the development company.

Mr O’Dea said the company should be compelled to restore the section of the building they had demolished.

Mr Tobin said: “They (Budelli) have given a solemn undertaking they are carrying out work in accordance with the planning permission granted. That might seem strange to anybody other than a lawyer, given they have demolished one third of the building.”

Mr Tobin said the company may be relying on a change in the planning laws introduced in 2002 which allows for the demolition of a building without planning permission if it is not connected to another building.

However, he said the council was satisfied the building which has been partly demolished was connected to the old section of the Ryan Hotel.

Local residents say they are prepared to take the developer to court, if the council does not do so.

To build up their own evidence the residents hired a helicopter to take aerial photographs of what has happened behind the 40ft screen.

Mayor Hourigan who is a local representative for the Ennis Road area said residents were not opposed to development but did not want overdevelopment of the site.

“I have no problem with the site being developed, but we want good development. We don’t want some monstrosity,” he said.

A spokesperson for Budelli Ltd was not available for comment.