O'Brien refused permission to demolish Dublin 4 house

BUSINESSMAN DENIS O'Brien has been refused permission to demolish Belmont, an Edwardian "Arts and Crafts-style" house, at 21 Shrewsbury Road in Dublin 4.

The 730sq m (7,857sq ft) house on two thirds of an acre, located in the State's embassy belt, came with a swimming pool complex and a putting green when Mr O'Brien paid €27 million for it in 2005.

It was designed by Stanislaus Orpen, a brother of the artist Sir William Orpen and completed in 1904.

Through his Isle of Man company, Grapedown Ltd, and architects De Blacam and Meagher, Mr O'Brien had sought permission for a new home of 2,047sq m (22,033sq ft) - almost three times the size of the original - on the same site.

In a submission to Bord Pleanála, the businessman described Belmont as "substandard" in terms of layout, building regulations and building energy ratings.

The billionaire telecoms operator added the house didn't meet "the lifestyle and living standard requirements of persons likely to seek residence in this area".

Mr O'Brien sought permission to demolish the house while "collecting selected joinery, walling, window and roofing materials for re-use" in the new house.

The new home was to have been over four levels, two storeys over basement with an attic floor, and would have contained an indoor pool, spa, staff quarters and six reception rooms including an annexe which would contain "family rooms".

Mr O'Brien told the board he would be open to it imposing a condition of planning permission that the house be used as a private family residence, saying the size reflects "changing requirements for contemporary living".

However the board, following on from a decision by Dublin City Council to reject the plan, took a different view. In its decision announced yesterday it said "Belmont is a dwelling of significant architectural, historical, cultural and social value". It also described Shrewsbury Road as "a road of unique character within Dublin city within an area defined as a residential conservation area".

The refusal also said the City Development Plan sought the "retention and re-use of buildings/structures of historic, architectural, cultural, artistic and /or local interest, or buildings which make a positive contribution to the character and identity of streetscapes".

Attempts to contact a spokesman for Mr O'Brien yesterday were not successful.