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Locals tempted by e30 million promise

Monday, 24 March 2008

DEVELOPER Sean Dunne has promised a cash bonanza of over e30 million to the local community if his controversial plan for the Jury’s/Berkeley Court site gets the green light.
The millionaire developer outlined his ‘community gain’ proposals for the Ringsend and Irishtown area at a recent meeting with representatives of local groups.
Mr Dunne said if he gets planning approval for the entire site, he will spend e31 million on the local community.
Dublin City Council recently approved partial planning permission for the Carlow born developer’s proposal, including an 18-storey building comprising 294 apartments, a 232-bedroom hotel, a shopping centre, an embassy building, cultural centre and a crèche.
However, the council planners rejected the controversial 37-storey landmark skyscraper aspect of the plans as well as a 10-storey office building.

Mr Dunne said in a statement that he would appeal the decision to refuse planning permission to An Bord Pleanála and warned that construction on the project would not go ahead until planning permission was secured for the entire development.
His development company, Mountbrook Homes, has already outlined "a substantial package of social and community gain initiatives for the local area”.
The package would include spending e11 million on a new community centre for the Ringsend and Irishtown area.
The company said there could also be “a possible” e5 million redevelopment of existing sheltered housing at Sandymount and that they would contribute another e5 million to local amenities. Art galleries, a cinema, theatre and a fitness centre will also be provided.
Mountbrook is also proposing to spend e2.5 million on a pedestrian bridge over the River Dodder at Shelbourne Road and a further e2.5 million on subsidising 30 crèche places for children.
Mr Dunne and representatives of his company met with about 60 members of local groups in the Ringsend District and Community Centre on Thorncastle Street.
A member of the Whelan’s House Residents’ Association, Gay Weaver, said Mr Dunne outlined his proposals for the Jury’s development and asked those present at the meeting for their advice on how he should proceed with the “community gain” aspect of the proposals.
“As Mr Dunne pointed out, the people in Ballsbridge don’t need his money if he gets planning permission,” he said.
“I don’t think there is any trade off. He was very straight and honest at the meeting. He just told people he was a businessman and that was it.
“A lot of people might have suspicions in relation to a developer but remember he is not proposing a 37 storey tower in our community. I think most people would be in agreement with what he is proposing because the centre would benefit the community.
“We don’t have a lot of developers queuing up to offer us help and money and yet we are surrounded by building everywhere because of developments in the Docklands, so you have to acknowledge that type of generosity.
“We congratulated him on his development - it is very visionary. Ballsbridge is dead and it could do with a bit of new blood.”
However, not everybody in the area is happy with the proposals. Damien Cassidy of the Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount Environmental Group has submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanála on the Dunne application.
Mr Cassidy said he was opposed to a situation where a select few community representatives would decide whether to accept or reject Mr Dunne’s ‘community gain’ proposals.
“If the people in Ringsend and Sandymount are considering accepting sweeteners from developers, it should be decided by a democratic vote of all of the people,” he said.
“We [Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount Environmental Group] are not for sale. We either have a principal that we believe in or we do not. Our group is environmental. We do not want the U2 tower in the area and we do not want the Sean Dunne tower either.
“What we are looking for are buildings that are sympathetic to the area.”

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