With the expansion of Liffey Valley on the back burner at least until the Mahon Tribunal reports on the controversial rezoning of the site, the promoters are to seek permission for a large apartment development beside the west Dublin shopping centre.

Barkhill Ltd has lodged a planning application for 560 apartments, most of them two-bedroom units, along with a corner shop, café, 300 bicycle spaces and over 600 car-parking spaces at basement and surface levels. The homes will be located in eight blocks varying in height from five to 16 storeys.

Corus steel complex in west Dublin sold for €16 million

An owner-occupier has paid over €16 million for the Corus Steel service complex, right, a 15-year-old industrial plant on 19.5 acres with frontage on to both Ballymount Road and Turnpike Road in west Dublin. Corus, an Anglo-Dutch company, is relocating elsewhere in Dublin. The Ballymount plant is located close to the Red Cow roundabout. Donal O'Buachalla handled the sale.

€5 million flagship Spar store opens on Camden Street

Spar Ireland yesterday launched its new Dublin flagship store on Camden Street, Dublin 2. The €5 million outlet is located in the former Irish Nationwide headquarters, where a staff of 50 will be employed. The developers are Retail Opportunities Ltd, whose principals are Simon Kelly, David Kelly and Noel Smith. The project was completed in conjunction with BWG Foods Ltd, which owns the Spar franchise in the Republic.

Report recommends more use of timber frame house construction

Timber frame construction, already accounting for over 20 per cent of the new housing market, could increase to 50 per cent if new Government recommendations are implemented, according to Gerry McCaughey of Century Homes. He said the report acknowledged the "unfair regulatory bias" in Ireland that favoured concrete construction. The report was compiled for the Department of the Environment by the Timber Frame Housing 2002 Consortium.