A BUSINESSMAN has been told by a judge to demolish a chalet and its surrounding decking in the Dublin mountains.
Dublin Circuit Civil Court was told that car sales director Gary Chambers had built the mountain dwelling with a panoramic view of Dublin, a walkaround decking veranda and a work shed without proper planning permission.
Circuit Court president Mr Justice Matthew Deery also told him to rip up the concrete slab on which he built the prefabricated dwelling and excavate the driveway up to it at Kellystown Road, Ticknock, Co Dublin.
The judge said Mr Chambers of Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, would have to restore the site in the Dublin mountains to its original condition and bear all the costs.
Barrister Carol O’Farrell, for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, told the court how Mr Chambers had gouged out a hillside site off the Kellystown Road and had proceeded with building work, despite threats of legal action by the local authority.
She said Mr Chambers had apparently ignored letters from the council which had found it so difficult to serve legal proceedings on him that it had to have court permission to serve him through the ordinary post.
Planning inspector Martin Cassidy told the court that, in December 2008, heavy machinery had started site clearance works on land owned by Mr Chambers at Ticknock and a large green shed had been erected.
Four months later, in April, the council received a complaint that a new dwelling was being built on the site and An Taisce had joined in the protest.
Mr Cassidy said that in May 2008, he found outer and inner yards had been created around the shed, which was being used as a car repair business.
There were steel containers and mobile trailer units and other parked vehicles.
He said a new prefabricated dwelling had been built on a recently poured concrete slab. A driveway had been laid.
Ms O’Farrell told the court the council had written to Mr Chambers in June 2009, asking him for an undertaking to remove the unauthorised development which was still in place.
Mr Chambers was not in court for the hearing and was not represented.
The judge gave Mr Chambers eight weeks to remove the prefabricated dwelling, decking and shed; excavate and remove the concrete slab and driveway; and restore the site to its original condition.