US officials order work to stop on Seán Dunne's $2m house

DEVELOPER SEÁN Dunne is facing planning difficulties with a $2 million (€1.4 million) house he has substantially demolished in an exclusive private estate in the United States.

Officials in Greenwich, Connecticut, ordered work to stop on the seven-bedroomed house after the planning permission was exceeded.

The Irish developer is not listed as the owner and last night his representatives said he did not own “any property whatsoever in Greenwich or in any part of the USA”.

However, his closest neighbour said this week that Mr Dunne had identified himself as the owner.

The house on Bush Avenue is in the private community of Belle Haven, home to several billionaires.

According to the assessor’s office in Greenwich, the house was sold to a trustee, Philip Teplen, last April. Mr Teplen, an immigration lawyer on New York’s Fifth Avenue, did not respond to messages left at his office.

Permission was given to carry out internal restoration, according to the division of building inspection in Greenwich.

Dick Case, a retired IBM executive who lives adjacent to the house, said Mr Dunne introduced himself as the owner of the property and invited him to view the plans.

In late July, the planning and zoning board of appeals in Greenwich heard an application in the name of Mr Teplen to permit additions to the house.

Mr Case said he supported the plans as they represented an improvement to the neighbourhood. “I was under the impression that things were going to be different from the way they are now.”

The application was granted, but officials became involved again after the house was substantially demolished. Officials ordered workers carrying out the work to stop work and erect a notice to this effect.

Tom Schupps, who carried out the demolition work, said he did not know who owned the house but gave the name of an Irishman who he said was the project manager. This person denied working for Mr Dunne.

An official in the Greenwich planning office said the owners had exceeded the scope of their permit and were ordered to cease work.

Mr Dunne, along with his wife Gayle Killilea and their three children, is renting in the area.

Mr Case said Mr Dunne’s wife brought around the new plans to his house earlier this week, but he had not yet had time to look at the detail.