As Ballymun demolishes its tower blocks plans forge ahead to erect a 26-storey cylindrical tower development right in the heart of Donnybrook Village whilst three other development sites within the immediate area are in various stages of progress with the Dublin City Council.

Business tycoon Denis O’Brien’s company Partenay Ltd is seeking permission to build what its architect described as “an elegant glass tower shooting up from brick walls into the air” on the former Bizquip site beside the Fire Station in the village. It would comprise of basement car parking, some floors of commercial use, 36 apartments, a duplex penthouse apartment, a gym, roof garden and function room.

Local Councillor Dermot Lacey, who lives in the area, has vigorously opposed the development, which he describes as “the imposition of this Downtown Manhattan Skyscraper to Donnybrook.” At the September meeting of the City Council’s South East Area Committee he proposed that permission be refused. This proposal was agreed by the Committee. It is now up to the Planners to make the final decision.

Beside the village and only a short distance from the proposed tower block, the Bective development proposes to provide for a new stadium and 109 apartments in a series of blocks which could run up to nine storeys, presenting heights above that of the present so called Smurfit Building across the road.

Residents near the development of the 3.6 acres behind Sach’s Hotel on Morehampton Road claim that the scheme will make a mockery of existing conservation. The site, on what was formerly part of the nine acres of grounds of Avila Retreat House is to have 182 apartments in four six-storey apartment buildings, 14 houses and a creche.

Across from the Avila site off Bloomfield Avenue permission has been granted for development on 4.45 acres on the former Quaker hospital site for 66 residential units and 3,162 sq metres of office space in blocks no higher than 5 storeys.

John Holohan, an active conservationist and Chairman of a Local Donnybrook residents’ association, in speaking about the present explosion of development in Donnybrook, pointed out that people need more than just houses, they also need an environment where the family can live and play.

He holds that, up to now, many people benefited from the existence of the open spaces surrounding the institutional lands which were numerous in the area. These properties were, by and large, procured with money donated by the people to provide education, hospitals, etc. for the community, which services are now being provided mainly by the state.

Unfortunately, under the present law the institutions in theory own the buildings and also the sites, so are legally entitled to sell for the most money they can get. However, he suggests that the institutions could see fit to designate that greater open spaces be allocated on their developments than is normally required.

Locals I spoke with are particularly aghast at the proposed Tower Block and other building plans and fear that their opinions will be overlooked in the end result. The €20 fee now charged for objections to planning applications seems to stand as a deterrent against the individual’s freedom to convey their opinions to the appropriate authorities.