Former helicopter landing site at Dublin nature reserve sold

A controversial site beside a nature reserve in Dublin has been sold to private developers following attempts to purchase it for public use. Used as a helicopter landing pad during the boom by developer Bernard McNamara, the Ashcastle site next to Booterstown Nature Reserve on the Rock Road had been held by Nama.

Two years ago, the agency sold the 4.86-acre site, which straddles the boundaries of Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council and Dublin City Council, for an estimated €400,000; it has now changed hands again for a higher sum. Frank McKnight Auctioneers and Real Estate Agents handled the sale, which was completed last week.

Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown in conjunction with Dublin city had made an offer to buy the land, 6km southeast of Dublin city centre, from Nama. Then county manager Owen Keegan told councillors the agency had advised him that if the private bid was matched, a recommendation would have been made to dispose of the site to the local authorities – but they could not match it.

An Taisce had also campaigned for the land to be sold to the local authorities in the public interest. Before the most recent sale, local sports clubs had expressed an interest in buying the site.

The zoning on the Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown section of the site is to “preserve and provide open space” and “recreational amenities”. It also permits in principle sports, cultural and community facilities while uses such as car park, guest house, craft centre, crematorium and garden centre are “open for consideration”.

Dublin City Council has zoned its element of the site, the larger part, “to preserve, provide and improve recreational amenity and open space and green networks”. It lists similar uses as Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown as being permitted in principle.

The land is also part of a proposed Natural Heritage Area and a proposed Special Protection Area. Local councillor Victor Boyhan (Ind) said commercial or residential development would negatively affect the Booterstown Nature Reserve and the foreshore.