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Johnny Ronan has the all-clear to build one of Dublin city centre's largest housing blocks

The 325 apartments, and 102-unit aparthotel, will be constructed in Dublin’s docklands.

DEVELOPER JOHNNY RONAN has the all-clear to construct one of Dublin city centre’s biggest apartment developments.

The high-profile property developer already had permission to build 165 apartments on the 1.26-hectare site in Dublin’s docklands but sought to revise these plans to get the approval to construct more housing units.

In an application to the council earlier this year, Spencer Place Development Company Limited applied to increase the size of the residential scheme to 325 apartments and also build a 102-unit aparthotel on the site.

The location of the proposed residential project, which is bound by Sheriff Street Upper to the north and Mayor Street Upper to the south, was acquired by Ronan for a reported €43 million in 2016 from receivers appointed by Nama.

It is located within a strategic development area which has allowed property developer Ronan to fast-track the planning decision.

The developer’s application, submitted by planning consultant John Spain Associates, noted: “The proposed development will provide for much-needed residential accommodation within the city centre.”

Following the initial submission, the council requested further information about the development from Spencer Place Development Company Limited.

After reviewing the additional details, the local authority has granted planning permission for the project.

Screen Shot 2018-09-10 at 11.37.16 An artist's interpretation of the proposed development DCC DCC

Local residents in the north docklands area lodged several objections to the development with Dublin council.

The numerous complaints claimed the new apartment and aparthotel blocks would not enhance the area and that the buildings proposed are “lego-like” and “bland” in appearance.

Another complainant noted that the residents are tired of constant construction works taking place near their neighbourhood.

“No other community in Ireland and probably Europe has had to endure 20 years of continuous development with at least another five years to come.”

However, the council said the project would make a positive contribution to the housing stock of the area and the new aparthotel would help Dublin meet growing demand in the capital.

The local authority’s decision can still be appealed to An Bord Pleanála by objectors.

Spencer site

There has been a spike in development in the docklands area of Dublin in recent years. A number of new office blocks are currently in development, while the Central Bank’s new headquarters has opened in the pocket of Dublin.

Several sites in the area primed for development have also been placed on the market in recent months.

The new apartment blocks at Spencer Place are one of a number of development projects Ronan has in the works in the docklands.

The developer also has approval to build new offices, two hotels and restaurants in the southern part of the Spencer Place site. The developments in the scheme range up to eight storeys in height.

However, Ronan has failed in a number of attempts to get the go ahead for a 22-storey building nearby. If approved, it would have been the capital’s tallest building.

Screen Shot 2018-09-10 at 11.38.16 A view of the proposed development DCC DCC

Overall, the entirety of the Spencer Place development will be more than 90,000 sq m in size. 

The apartments in Spencer Place will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and spread across two blocks. The proposed 102-unit aparthotel will be located to the western portion of the site and contain 216 bed spaces.

As part of the development, a new communal courtyard will also be created, while a cafe will be opened in the block due to contain the aparthotel. 

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Written by Killian Woods and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute cosmological
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:37 PM

    What a nightmare for the kid, not to mention the family.

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    Mute Angry Squirrel
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:45 PM

    Yep I would be suing the SXxT out of the lot of them if it was my daughter.

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    Mute dstaffx
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:50 PM

    Sue sue sue! Lets get money!
    There are better things in life than money.

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    Mute Gonzo Doyle
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:52 PM

    Strange the way Glen has stopped commenting on every single story since he is in line for comment of the week. He will have his Sunday best on at 11am tomorrow for the announcement.

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    Mute cosmological
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:59 PM

    Wot’s this Gonzo obsession with Glen, are you a secret admirer?

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    Mute Conor Cullen
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:08 PM

    Yeah and when you have loads of money you can buy those things!

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    Mute Lolo
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:13 PM

    Well the compensation money would come in handy for all the therapy the poor kid will probably need!

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:51 PM

    Maybe suing them would make them think twice before making such a monumental cock up again. That Garcia one had her own daughter taken away and then done the same thing to someone else and refuses to take responsibility for it. There’s a special kind of selfish nastiness in that.

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    Mute ohaimhirghin
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    Apr 24th 2015, 2:32 PM

    Eggs?

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    Mute Alan Wiley
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:39 PM

    It’s not often Mexicans have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the U.S.

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    Mute Living Abroad
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    Apr 24th 2015, 5:52 PM

    That supposed to be funny? idiot

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    Mute Barney r
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    Apr 25th 2015, 11:17 AM

    For the women smuggled into the sex trade and the hundreds that die crossing the border, thats hilarious

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    Mute John
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:46 PM

    Remember when that happened here in Ireland because some curtain twitcher thought that a Romanian child didn’t look enough like her parents. Just last year

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    Mute Patrick Murphy
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    Apr 24th 2015, 2:04 PM

    And most of the commentators on the journal thought it was ok for the gardai to do it.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Apr 24th 2015, 2:19 PM

    Once might have been forgivable, but twice?

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    Mute Sinead
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:56 PM

    I really just don’t understand how this could happen? How could the woman who took her not see that the girl is not her daughter? And the the girl has a huge family all testifying who she is! Fairly dodgy carry on.

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    Mute Ciarán Masterson
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:43 PM

    Why didn’t Dorotea Garcia ask the Mexican authorities to test a sample of Alondra’s DNA before the court hearing took place? How could she not have thought of the possibility that the girl was not her daughter?

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    Apr 24th 2015, 6:02 PM

    She was probably desperate, but any right-thinking neutral would see this as the most appropriate way to approach the situation, even if the kid had to be taken into temporary foster care whilst awaiting results.

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    Mute Jane Sacrey
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:09 PM

    Holy cow .. They could have been sending her to her death or worse … I don’t understand in this day and age with so much at the courts disposal that they did not do the DNA test before shipping her off !!!!!!!

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    Mute John Ryan
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    Apr 24th 2015, 8:04 PM

    US law enforcement wave their big dick and the Mexicans bend over is how this works.

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    Mute ah_enda
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:47 PM

    Absolutely disgraceful…

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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Apr 24th 2015, 12:50 PM

    Mad ted

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Apr 24th 2015, 1:04 PM

    Not the Momma!

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Apr 24th 2015, 10:26 PM
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    Mute Dennis Collins
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    Apr 24th 2015, 4:25 PM

    The judge claims that she could not order a DNA test as it is not her job to investigate, rather just to judge. If she felt the evidence was insufficient, what would have been wrong with simply dismissing it until more satisfactory evidence was presented. A lot of questions need to be answered by this judge.

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Apr 24th 2015, 3:22 PM

    Utterly disgraceful.

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    Mute Shane Russell
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    Apr 24th 2015, 4:06 PM

    That is so messed up.

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    Mute Vicko Aguilar
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    Apr 24th 2015, 4:40 PM

    It’s embarrassing to see this kind of stupidity! I claim all the children from Mexico are mind and the rotten judge say yes they r yours you can take them now. Poor parents! I can’t imagine the law in that country!!

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    Mute Vinny Wallace
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    Apr 24th 2015, 4:51 PM

    Did no one have a bit of sense even at border control there was no real eveidence this woman was the mother of the child. Did no one say hang on a sec go get DNA evidence then you can come into the country.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Apr 24th 2015, 2:17 PM

    The best interests of the child in action.

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    Mute Oisín Tarrant
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    Apr 24th 2015, 6:12 PM

    The father who really took Dorotea Garcias daughter has to have seen this happening.

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    Mute Ewan O'Doherty
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    Apr 26th 2015, 8:16 AM

    Even if Alondra Lunez’ family attempt to sue the authorities (which, in a still very corrupt Mexico, one wonders if ‘authorities’ is a misnomer) how far would they get? To do something like that to a terrified young girl, all I can say is that I am totally disgusted

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