Plans from a Conor McGregor company to build a 113-unit apartment block in his native Drimnagh, Dublin 12, have attracted opposition from locals, including a couple in their 80s.
Emrajare Ltd lodged plans for the eight-storey, mixed-use development with Dublin City Council last month. They would involve the demolition of the Marble Arch pub that MMA fighter Mr McGregor bought two years ago, reportedly paying up to €2 million.
The Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) application also foresees the demolition of warehouse buildings/structures on the 0.29 hectare (0.72 acre) site, with Emrajare to build a restaurant/bar/cafe, a gym and a retail unit in addition to the apartment scheme.
The Marblearch LRD apartment element would consist of 57 two-bed units, 53 one-bed units and three studios.
Christmas time is ‘make or break’ for booksellers
The location earmarked for the development is adjacent to the Heidelberg site, also owned by Mr McGregor, which has planning permission for a nine-storey, 188-unit build-to-rent apartment scheme. Enabling works have begun for that project.
A planning report lodged with the MarbleArch LRD application by planning consultants, Tom Phillips & Associates states that the construction of the two developments “will support the efficient and co-ordinated delivery of housing at two key suburban sites in the city council area”.
However, in an objection lodged on behalf of the Drimnagh Residents Community Group, chairman John Corr told the city council the group is strongly objecting “to the scale and the density of the planned Large Scale Residential Development”.
Mr Corr said: “This is an area consisting of two- and three-bedroom family homes built in the 1930s with an ageing community, who stand to lose their peace of mind, privacy, and will encounter several years of disruption, noise and most of all devaluation of their properties.”
Married couple Rita and Patrick McGowan also lodged an objection, telling the council that they have lived nearby for the past 81 years.
Construction work on the Heidelberg site is causing “upset, trauma and taking a detrimental toll on our health, family life and wellbeing”, they said.
“We cannot open our windows/doors due to dirt, dust and extreme exposure to noise levels,” they added.
The McGowans also expressed concern that the new scheme will devalue their property.
They said they are both in their 80s, arguing that the development would be “very high” and “would greatly impede” their privacy.
