Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Cairn Homes

A big developer wants to build 200 homes on the site of Dublin's second-most expensive house

Chesterfield House in Blackrock was bought in 2004 for €47 million.

A MAJOR HOUSEBUILDER is planning to develop more than 200 homes on the site of Dublin’s second-most expensive house.

Cairn Homes has been in discussions with An Bord Pleanála about plans to construct 217 houses on the grounds of Chesterfield House through the new fast-track planning system.

A rough outline of the proposal for the 3.2-hectare site in Blackrock states that the plans include the demolition of the non-original fabric of Chesterfield House and its derelict sheds.

Following an initial consultation period on the plans, the planning authority has ruled that Cairn Homes can apply through the Strategic Housing Development scheme for permission.

The scheme is a new fast-track planning process that allows residential developers to apply directly to the national planning board and skip the local authority system – potentially stripping a year or more from the application process.

Cairn bought Chesterfield House and its grounds when it acquired the Project Clear loan portfolio from Ulster Bank for around €378 million in 2015.

The Blackrock-based house was the former home of the late Tom Roche, who co-founded building materials giant Roadstone.

The property and its woodlands were previously bought by Avenue Homes, a firm owned by developer Myles Crofton, for €47 million in 2004.

This is the second-highest price ever paid in Dublin for a residential home. Ireland’s most expensive house, Walford, which was bought for €58 million in 2005, is located on Dublin’s Shrewsbury Road.

The original drawing room of Chesterfield House is a protected structure and cannot be demolished as part of the development plans.

Fora contacted Cairn Homes for further details about the demolition proposed. A spokeswoman for the firm said it wasn’t in a position to provide detailed information about the project.

However, she added that the development is likely to be a mix of houses and apartments.

crossavenue An aerial shot of the Blackrock site Cairn Homes Cairn Homes

Pre-crash

Planning permission was previously granted for the construction of 150 apartments in four separate blocks at the Blackrock site.

As part of that approved proposal, Avenue Homes also planned to refurbish Chesterfield House and convert it into an office building. The proposal was given the all-clear in 2007 by An Bord Pleanála, but development never went ahead after the property market crash.

The Blackrock site is listed on Cairn’s website as an “upcoming development”. The builder notes that the plans are at the detailed design stage in advance of a Strategic Housing Development planning application to An Bord Pleanála.

The fast-track scheme was introduced to help alleviate the Republic’s chronic lack of housing. It has been predicted that this shortage could last for up to a decade.

Set up in November 2014, Dublin-based Cairn Homes listed on the London Stock Exchange in June 2015 in a move that saw it raise about €400 million.

According to its website, Cairn has a number of upcoming residential projects in the works, including a large-scale plan at the former grounds of RTÉ in Donnybrook and a proposal to develop a long-vacant site in Stillorgan village.

Cairn is currently in the process of constructing apartments in Shakleton in Lucan, Hanover Quay, Marianella, Rathgar and Donnybrook Gardens.

Sign up to our newsletter to receive a regular digest of Fora’s top articles delivered to your inbox.

Written by Killian Woods and posted on Fora.ie

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 35 comments
Close
35 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gaius Gracchus
    Favourite Gaius Gracchus
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:05 PM

    So they have entered the Renaissance period,only another 600 years to go lads

    145
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael J Collins
    Favourite Michael J Collins
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:46 PM

    Gaius
    You should recognise the huge advance this is for Saudi Arabia. Criticism is just a churlish and unhelpful contribution.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gaius Gracchus
    Favourite Gaius Gracchus
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:50 PM

    Howya Mick :)

    43
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublinlad72
    Favourite dublinlad72
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:12 PM

    @Michael,

    Yeah… You shut up!

    :-P

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anto de Chav
    Favourite Anto de Chav
    Report
    Jan 12th 2013, 10:24 AM

    Chronologically Islam is about 600years behind the Christian west so your comment is spot on….

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter O Foyle
    Favourite Peter O Foyle
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 3:51 PM

    Of course … they all have lovely bottoms

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute willy stryker
    Favourite willy stryker
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:05 PM

    And he’s gonna marry all of them.

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Massey
    Favourite Chris Massey
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:21 PM

    Peter you would happily motorboat those Saudi chicks!!

    35
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute the lost lenore
    Favourite the lost lenore
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:40 PM

    30? That must be one big ass sammich he’s looking for.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute CABK
    Favourite CABK
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 3:51 PM

    Disgusting patriarchal country.

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Favourite Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:37 PM

    And Ireland is a beacon of decency, respect and honesty!

    People in glass houses……..

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute CABK
    Favourite CABK
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 6:19 PM

    Perspective Ruairi! If I were to walk in a street in Saudi Arabia with a man that is not my relative I could be arrested for being a prostitute (me by the way, the man is fine its obviously the womans fault). Ireland is by no means perfect but I feel lucky to live here in comparison to how women are treated in the middle east/asia.

    84
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Favourite Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 7:44 PM

    Fair point carb…..

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dom Morgan
    Favourite Dom Morgan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 10:09 PM

    You would not be arrested for being a prostitute and the man would not be fine. You would both be in same trouble.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Sinnott
    Favourite Martin Sinnott
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:06 PM

    Will the Pope follow !

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ManOnTheStreet
    Favourite ManOnTheStreet
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:36 PM

    Of course he will. Right after he catches that flying pig.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Favourite Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:39 PM

    Maybe he’ll allow women to do more than clean the church and cook the priests dinner…………

    33
    See 8 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lieutenant Worf
    Favourite Lieutenant Worf
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:48 PM

    @ Ruairi – I presume you’re alluding to the myth that all priests have housekeepers. This is false. Second for the bigger houses that have they are employees who are paid. Third how many people do you know employ a male housekeeper? Your argument is a nonsense.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublinlad72
    Favourite dublinlad72
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 6:30 PM

    @Mr Worf.

    You shut up.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Favourite Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 7:24 PM

    @Mr worf

    My argument? What argument. I was stating a fact that in the eyes of the church, women are for little more than cooking and cleaning.

    If I were to “argue” the point, I would bring some facts to the table, like how im the early christian church, there ‘used’ to be women priests and even women popes. I would argue that most ancient religions were matriarchal as we were all born from women.

    But I’m not arguing the point as still in Ireland, there are morons who believe a story written and rewritten over thousands of years to be factual.

    These morons ignore the screaming evidence that this “story” is not even original but copied from the story of Isis, written over 2500 years before jebus fell out of his virgin, but married mother! (Look it up, also the Noah story was copied from Greek mythology, zeus wiped man from the earth in flood)

    These same morons accept that their so-called savior is responsible for all the good in the world, but the bad is their fault.

    ………………..rant over……..I DARE a Jehovah witness to call to my house today

    These morons have pumped countless monies into

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublinlad72
    Favourite dublinlad72
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 7:43 PM

    Ruairi,

    That was beautiful.

    Brings a tear to this Atheist’s eye.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Favourite Ruairi O' Sullivan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:00 PM

    @dublinlad

    Anything I can do to help the poor initiated escape their conditioning.

    I forgot to mention that in the original writings, Jesus was born around April, but the church changed it hundreds of years later to make it easier to convert ” pagans”.

    If I may quote a great man…….

    ‘Ah pidy da food’…..Mr T (B.A Baracus)

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublinlad72
    Favourite dublinlad72
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:14 PM

    Where have you been all my life?! Haha.

    I often do wonder why on earth people believe some of the tripe that the Church says.

    Honestly!, a bunch of celibate old men, who have not changed their ways in over 2,000 years, trying to tell the world how to live. Don’t even get me started when they take a moral high ground… Baffling!

    But hey! Maybe one day people will all wake up and think…. (Play from 1:10)

    http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1b2_1320116014

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gaius Gracchus
    Favourite Gaius Gracchus
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:55 PM

    Thanks Ruairi,saved me typing all that!

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gaius Gracchus
    Favourite Gaius Gracchus
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:59 PM

    Another point is that in the early Roman church popes were allowed marry,but that was stopped because Rome got pissed off with their kids inheriting their wealth and land,they wanted to keep it all to themselves,something that’s conveniently brushed under the carpet

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ted Power
    Favourite Ted Power
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:03 PM

    They can sit at the table providing they lay it and make some nice cakes first!

    80
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rory Conway
    Favourite Rory Conway
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:22 PM

    And serve both before clearing away and washing up.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jamie Mccormack
    Favourite Jamie Mccormack
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:37 PM

    Responsible for countless human-rights abuse’s, the maltreatment of women, the impoverishment of their people etc. whilst they themselves are disgustingly-wealthy… Not a nice bunch. However, they seem to get on very well with the Bush family.

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute graham galvin
    Favourite graham galvin
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:45 PM

    who are equally not a nice bunch.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RobertOMaingain
    Favourite RobertOMaingain
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:56 PM

    Friend works there said its like the Dark Ages

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Fitzgerald
    Favourite Kieran Fitzgerald
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 3:56 PM

    Well, that’s the beginning of the end.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute kingstown
    Favourite kingstown
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:20 PM

    Maybe Mary Coughlan would like to go to Saudi and join that Council. One way of getting rid of her

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Hayes
    Favourite Michael Hayes
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:08 PM

    It’s all downhill from here… But seriously, a step in the right direction at least. Once they don’t introduce “quotas” like we’re planning too.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Hearne
    Favourite David Hearne
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:12 PM

    At least it’s a step in the right direction

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Jordan
    Favourite Mick Jordan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 9:12 PM

    In fairness this a huge step for the Saudis. I know many of you will criticise me for saying so. But the treatment of women in Saudi is not the fault of the royal family but of Saudi culture as a whole. The Saudis living in the hinterlands are extremely conservative. They have treated their women folk in this manner for thousands of years long before Muhammad was even born. And they do not like change. The Royal family are only a symptom of the culture as a whole. The Talibans treatment of females is the same. Its going to take centuries for them to alter their way of thinking. We in the west have only given the vote to women 100 odd years ago. Up to the seventies here if a woman was working in the civil service she had to leave the job when she got married. She was expected to be a home maker and mother. And that was societies general view.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute padraig
    Favourite padraig
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:59 PM

    Steady on Saudis. Next, you might be allowing women to drive!

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irene Ryan
    Favourite Irene Ryan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:24 PM

    That’s good of him a real gent

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Willie Penwright
    Favourite Willie Penwright
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:32 PM

    Those medieval misogynists would be history without American and European weapons.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute john dilllon
    Favourite john dilllon
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Too be fair ,the lads down the pub didn’t see this coming, but reckon it’s a welcome move

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublinlad72
    Favourite dublinlad72
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 6:30 PM

    Are you Richard Lennon in disguise ?

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RobertOMaingain
    Favourite RobertOMaingain
    Report
    Jan 12th 2013, 12:11 AM

    If he is former US special forces he is…lol.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonathan McDade
    Favourite Jonathan McDade
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 4:06 PM

    Saudi Arabia they call International Women’s Rights Day, Tuesday!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Sixtwo
    Favourite Joe Sixtwo
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:01 PM

    A disgusting regime and vile society.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ellen gough
    Favourite ellen gough
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 8:32 PM

    thank goodness! any change for the better is good!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gus Whearity
    Favourite Gus Whearity
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 6:23 PM

    A step to far!!!!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Murphy
    Favourite Larry Murphy
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 7:02 PM

    Where is far? Too much to ask?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RobertOMaingain
    Favourite RobertOMaingain
    Report
    Jan 12th 2013, 6:48 AM

    Despite all this zionist inspired rhetoric over Iran at least there they can vote (since 1963), drive their own cars as well as taxis and are members of parliment.Saudi doesnt recognize the state of Israel either.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tommy Hornblower
    Favourite Tommy Hornblower
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 5:46 PM

    God bless that man

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Harvey
    Favourite Kieran Harvey
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 9:33 PM

    Well one have to commend the ‘no female drivers’ rule at least! :-P

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute C.P. Horan
    Favourite C.P. Horan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 7:59 PM

    No ladies day in the Saudi golf clubs though can’t be all bad!

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Lonergan
    Favourite Niall Lonergan
    Report
    Jan 11th 2013, 11:41 PM

    Biggest mistake of his life!

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds