Council turns down plan for parochial hall in GlenagearyAn apartment scheme at St Paul's Parochial Hall (right) in Glenageary, Co Dublin, has been refused by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council because it will diminish the value of neighbouring homes.

John O'Connor's O'Connor Property Group was looking for permission to develop St Paul's Parochial Hall on Adelaide Road into a 29-unit apartment scheme.

The developer had plans to convert the arts and craft-style hall into two apartments. Two three-storey apartment blocks adjoining the hall were to comprise 27 apartments. The proposed scheme was designed by O'Mahony Pike Architects.

John O'Connor purchased the hall and the adjacent Barkel car sales site for an estimated €8 million last year.

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council received 45 letters of objections to the scheme. In refusing permission, the council cited the proposed scheme's scale, height and massing. The scheme would also seriously injure the amenities and depreciate the value of residential property in the vicinity by way of overshadowing, visual intrusion and overlooking, the council stated.

In 2005 the Irish Georgian Society was successful in its campaign to have the building, which dates from around 1911 and was designed by WM Mitchell, added to the council's record of protected structures.

O'Connor plans to appeal this decision to An Bord Pleanála.

Summerhill apartment scheme set to rise to 10 storeys

A 10-storey apartment scheme in Dublin's Summerhill area is in the pipeline.

Vincent McGuire and Liam Moran's Amvey Ltd is looking for permission to build three apartment blocks comprising 71 apartments. The duo have lodged a planning application with Dublin City Council for the scheme at 121-128 Summerhill and backing onto 6,7 and 7A Gardiner Place, Dublin 1.

Two years ago An Bord Pleanála refused permission for an 84-apartment scheme on the site.