At least six bidders, including Bryan Cullen of the Precinct consortium, are thought to be have submitted bids for the five-acre site being sold by Jurys Doyle in Dublin's Ballsbridge.

The site is believed to have attracted valuations of at least €150 million, with some bids likely to have topped €200 million. The deadline for bids passed yesterday at lunchtime, but the Jurys Doyle board is not expected to consider the tenders it has received until it meets next Monday and Tuesday.

Some 20 developers and investment consortiums are believed to have requested tender documents from Jurys Doyle after the hotel group said last month that it would sell five of the seven acres it occupies in Ballsbridge.

The site is a rarity in the Dublin property market, both because of its substantial size and its location in one of the city's most prosperous areas.

As well as Mr Cullen, the parties that submitted bids yesterday are likely to have included many of the heaviest hitters in Irish property.

Sources said that developers including Seán Dunne of Mountbrook Homes, builder Bernard McNamara and Liam Carroll of Zoe Developments were all likely to have proceeded with a bid.

Other bidders mentioned by sources were Manor Park Homes, and groups led by Davy and Goodbody stockbrokers. Treasury Holdings, the group controlled by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, is also viewed as a likely bidder.

The tender process offers Jurys Doyle a chance to accurately judge the real market value of the Ballsbridge site that currently houses three of its flagship hotels.

It provides a similar opportunity to the three-man Precinct consortium, which has been trying to take over the hotel group for the past two months.

Precinct - comprised of Mr Cullen, David Coleman and JJ Murphy - made its most recent approach last week, when it offered €16.50 per share, or €1.04 billion for the hotel group.

It is thought that Mr Cullen's separate bid for the site, if successful, would not halt his consortium's attempt to take over the whole company.

Precinct said last week that it had secured the backing of Simon and David Reuben, the high-profile, London-based investors. The group, which is being advised by Deloitte, has also organised finance with Anglo Irish Bank.

Jurys Doyle did not comment on the tender process yesterday and is not likely to do so until after a board meeting to be held next week.

That meeting will also be used to consider Precinct's latest approach.

The Takeover Panel has said the three-man group must make a firm bid for Jurys Doyle by July 29th or walk away.

Still in the background is the possible interest of international hotel chains in putting in a bid for the company.

A number of groups, including Swiss company Kempinski and Spanish chains Sol Melia and NH Hotels, are believed to be looking at the firm.

Shares in Jurys closed unchanged at €15.60 last night.