An Bórd Pleanála has given permission to international property company Hines for a large extension to a Dublin office block, despite the concerns of some tenants. These include News UK & Ireland, the Rupert Murdoch-owned publisher of the Irish edition of the Sunday Times.

Hines has received the green light to add a seventh storey to the six-storey office building just off Dublin’s Aungier Street at Bishop’s Square, constructed by Bernard McNamara’s company 15 years ago.

In addition to the newsrooms of the Sunday Times, the Times digital edition and the Sun newspaper, Bishop's Square is also home to several State agencies, including Tourism Ireland and offices of the Department of Justice and Revenue Commissioners. It has an annual rent roll of some €7 million.

Profit of 40%

Hines bought the building last year for €92 million from King Street Capital, which made a 40 per cent profit in just two years after snapping it up from receivers to Mr McNamara’s assets.

Hines, which is also behind major suburban projects, including one at Cherrywood, applied to Dublin City Council to add an extra floor and extend two other floors, adding a total of more than 3,200 sq m to the 22,000sq m building.

Objections came from several parties, including Tourism Ireland, which occupies the top floor and is worried about losing natural light.

News UK & Ireland also objected while An Taisce raised concerns about the impact on nearby listed buildings.

‘Significant impact’

The council granted permission in January, sparking the appeal to An Bórd Pleanála by the newspaper publisher and An Taisce.

News UK & Ireland, which is on the floor below Tourism Ireland, told the planning appeals body that the development would “have a significant impact on [its] daily operations”.

It said the disruption was “completely unacceptable”.

The planning board has given the go-ahead, however. It is unclear if News UK & Ireland will remain on as a tenant in the building.