Developer Tom Bailey of Bovale Developments has been given the green light to build 36 homes on a prime Dublin 4 site.

Dublin City Council has given Bailey permission to knock the Ballsbridge house - Dunluce - he bought for €6.2 million in 2005 and replace it with a five and six-storey apartment block.

The 0.5-hectare site is accessed via a private laneway off Anglesea Road. It runs down to the River Dodder and backs on to Merrion cricket ground.

The scheme was given the thumbs up by city council planners despite objections from almost 60 locals, including Tánaiste Michael McDowell, Cllrs Dermot Lacey and Wendy Hederman, and Denis O'Brien Snr.

Based on a pavilion concept, the building starts at first floor level and has extensive glazing facing towards the cricket pitch and river. The scheme, designed by architects McCrossan O'Rourke Manning Architects, incorporates a rainwater harvesting system and a pond that doubles as a storm water filter scheme.

In granting permission, the council has told the developer to omit one apartment from the scheme. Bailey has also been told to revise the landscaping at the development and include native planting.

The landscaping design must minimise the use of herbicide, planners also stated.