Ever since the £3.6 million sale last December of a half-acre site on Dublin's Shrewsbury Road, residents of the road have been happily adding noughts to the value of their homes. The dilemma is how to capitalise on the extraordinary values and yet keep on living on Dublin's most exclusive stretch. Now, it seems four of the residents are looking at the possibility of selling together to a developer who would then build a block of apartments which would include a penthouse for each of them. Any mention of redeveloping even a section of the road will undoubtedly lead to strenuous protests from long-term residents who are determined to keep out the JCBs.

Their mettle will be tested shortly when Black Tie entrepreneur Niall O'Farrell seeks planning permission for two large semis on the aforementioned half-acre site, which adjoins the Chester Beatty Library. They will also be tested later this year when the Chester Beatty itself goes to public auction through Sherry FitzGerald, probably in the autumn. Based on the value of the half-acre site, the library now has to be worth in the region of £8 million. This site will almost certainly be used for a block of apartments, some of which will probably be bought by house-owners on the street who want the address but could do with the extra cash to live up to it.