The long awaited planning application for the former Chester Beatty Library site on Dublin's Shrewsbury Road has finally arrived with the city planners. O'Malley Construction has opted for only 13 apartments on the one-acre site it bought exactly a year ago.

A single apartment building has been designed by architects Bryan O'Rourke of McCrossan O'Rourke, to resemble one of the grand houses in the Shrewsbury/Ailesbury Road area.

O'Malley has given a commitment to carry out an extensive tree-planting and landscaping programme which will involve moving all the car-parking facilities below ground.

O'Malley has long been a major player in the west of Ireland and since entering the Dublin market a decade ago, has concentrated on top class schemes like Ballsbridge Wood in Dublin 4. It is currently building 41 apartments on the site of the former synagogue at Adelaide Road.

Dublin estate agent Sean Davin, friend and adviser to the city's well heeled business community, is to handle sales at Shrewsbury Road.