Landmark scheme planned for €70m Donnybrook site

A major mixed-use scheme is on the cards for a key site at the entrance to Donnybrook village, writes Jack Fagan.

A triangular site with several motor services, including a Shell filling station, opposite the rugby grounds in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, is to be used for a high-rise development to include retail and restaurant facilities, apartments and offices.

Businessman John O'Sullivan, along with property developers Bryan Cullen of Jackson Properties and Myles O'Malley of O'Malley Construction, have assembled the key site which is bounded by Donnybrook Road, Brookville Road and Eglinton Road. It has an overall value of around €70 million.

The final part of the site, the Shell station, was bought recently by Cullen for €15 million.

Leading architects O'Mahony Pike are currently preparing plans for the site which will include a landmark building ranging in height from seven to 11 storeys.

It will have a total floor area of 28,195sq m (303,500sq ft) and two underground car-parking levels to accommodate about 200 cars.

A new pedestrian walkway from Donnybrook Road to Brookville Road will have shops on either side.

Overall there will be 3,370sq m (36,274sq ft) of retail space, about 100 apartments and 14,695sq m (158,176sq ft) of offices.

Part of the first floor of the block will be given over to a restaurant looking towards the rugby grounds at one side and Donnybrook tennis club on the other.

O'Sullivan, who has owned a large chunk of the site (including the old Ever Ready garage) since 1988, said the proposed development would address the shortage of shopping and dining facilities in Donnybrook which was badly in need of more commercial activity.

It was also planned to let the office space in suites of not more than 325sq m (3,500sq ft) to encourage smaller companies to move into the area.

The location of the triangular site at the entrance to the village gives the owners the opportunity to provide a landmark building to replace the present range of rundown facilities. The car valeting service on the site is to continue in business.

In March 2005, businessman Denis O'Brien was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála for a 26-storey residential tower on a site adjoining the Garda station in Donnybrook, because of its "excessive height and scale".