One of the oldest thatched houses in the greater Dublin area, the Casino in Malahide, Co Dublin is to be turned into a licenced restaurant.

An Bord Pleanála has granted Gannon Homes permission for a change of use from residential to a licensed restaurant for the late 18th century house despite an appeal by Malahide Community Forum. Among its grounds of appeal was that the proposed single-storey restaurant extension would affect the Casino setting.

Gannon Homes - which paid €15.2 million for the 6.8-acre parkland at auction in October 1999 - also proposes to partially restore the house including the sash windows on the southern elevation. It also intends to make alterations to the rooms along the south side of the house, put in a new window and door to a new courtyard garden and rethatch the roof.

A 20th century kitchen will be demolished and the new extension will accommodate a dining area, replacement kitchen and toilets.

Malahide Community Forum also had concerns about the location of car-parking at the front of the Casino.

The planning board went against the recommendations of its inspector by granting permission with 24 conditions.

The development will adjoin a residential scheme of 128 mostly two-bed apartments adjoining the Casino.

The land was rezoned for housing in the 1993 County Development Plan, but was not developed until now because of an inadequate local sewerage system.