A developer was ordered to pay more than €16,000 for planning violations after a court heard he built an unauthorised extra house in a small development which caused flooding to an existing property.
Paul Dormer and his company, Concord Boiler Engineering Ltd, of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin, must pay fines and costs totalling €16,365 for failing to obey enforcement notices concerning properties he owns at Forbes Lane and Clanbrassil Street.
Dublin District Court heard Mr Dormer got planning permission to demolish and rebuild four cottages at Forbes Lane. He instead built five cottages, and Dublin City Council later obtained a High Court order requiring him to convert two of them into one, restoring the four-cottage situation.
He failed to do so, and later demolished the fifth cottage, erecting a hoarding around it.
Meanwhile, a resident of nearby Long's Lane complained her basement was being flooded with foul water. It was discovered Mr Dormer had not installed new drains for the cottages.
Promises to rectify this problem were not fulfilled, and the problem remained to this day, planning enforcement manager Rory O'Byrne told the court.
A separate structure, measuring 17m by 5.4m, was erected at Mr Dormer's Clanbrassil Street premises without planning permission. He failed to demolish it after a court ordered that he do so.
Mr Dormer, who rents out the cottages in Forbes Lane, did not appear in court yesterday.
Judge Dympna Cusack imposed fines of €4,064 for the Clanbrassil Street structure, €1,905 for failing to deal with the drainage problem in Forbes Lane and €1,905 in relation to the demolished cottage. She also ordered that he pay €8,491 costs and legal expenses.