A mystery objector is opposing a planned new gate as part of house revamp plans by Dee and Ian Lawlor for their property at Coolbeg, Shrewsbury Road in Dublin 4.
Coolbeg was used in scenes from the 1990s Hollywood blockbuster Far and Away starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The Lawlor planning application comes after Coolbeg was purchased for €12.23 million in a November 2024 deal, according to the Residential Property Price Register.
The Lawlors are seeking planning permission for a residential extension, car garage, and a modified vehicular entrance with an additional pedestrian entrance at Coolbeg.
The residential extension will result in the home having a gross floor area of 6,932 sq ft – almost six times the size of an average three bed semidetached home of 1,200 sq ft.
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However, planning consultants, Hughes Planning and Development Consultants (HPDC) have called on the council to refuse planning permission or seek alterations to the planned boundary treatments.
In the only submission opposing the scheme, the Dublin based planning consultancy doesn’t state who the submission is being on behalf of.
In the submission, director at HPDC, Kevin Hughes states that “the proposed new gate and alterations to the boundary wall along Shrewsbury Road, if granted, would set a negative precedent and erode the visual coherence and heritage value of the wider area”.
Mr Hughes states that the Lawlor plan to remove a 1.7 metre high existing metal gate and replace it a 2.1 metre high solid timber hardwood door and associated pedestrian door of same material.
Mr Hughes said: “We object to the design, scale, and materiality of the entrance gate which opens on to Shrewsbury Road.
He contends that “the proposed new gate is significantly larger in scale to the existing gate, and the gates of neighbouring properties. This will detract from the architectural rhythm of the street, and its consistent visual character”.
Mr Hughes has requested that the council refuse planning permission or that the application be amended “to ensure the boundary treatments are appropriately scaled”.
The sole objection against the planned house revamp follows businessman and Shrewsbury Road neighbour, Fred Trenaman writing a letter of support to the council for the house revamp plan.
In a planning submission on behalf of the Lawlors, director at Thornton O’Connor, Sadhbh O’Connor said “the proposed garage and gate are modest in scale and design”.
