A 15-storey luxury residential tower, new urban streets and up to nine storeys of offices are among the proposals for the former UCD veterinary college in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
Although it has the ambitious name of Number 1 Ballsbridge, the building heights sought by developer Ray Grehan for his development are lower than expected by many industry sources - given that he paid a massive €171.5 million two years ago for the 2.05 acre site.
However, his planning application comes two months after councillors rejected a controversial local area plan for Ballsbridge which would have allowed high-rise development of up to 22 storeys.
Mr Grehan, who is managing director of Glenkerrin, is proposing a 15-storey corner residential tower in the centre of the development overlooking a newly created New Pembroke Square. He maintains that because of its aspect and distance from the road it will have "no negative impact on the skyline".
As well as 190 "supreme standard" two-, three- and four-bed apartments aimed at wealthy buyers, there would be three office buildings including an eight-storey glazed headquarters building on Shelbourne Road with an atrium.
The highest street-facing building would be a nine-storey office block on Pembroke Road. Designed by HKR architects, Number 1 Ballsbridge will also have cafes, restaurants, high-end boutique style shops and an arts and cultural centre.
A new L-shaped pedestrian street called New Pembroke Street would link Shelbourne Road and Pembroke Road.
Mr Grehan says he has taken on board the concerns of local people over the impact of high-rise development and says it is designed to have "minimum visual impact on residents and the general area of Ballsbridge.
" In terms of height, our development is comparable with Hume House on Pembroke Road" he said.
All of the sites suitable for development in the area have been snapped up by a small group of high-profile developers. Mr Grehan's veterinary college neighbour is the Jurys Doyle/Berkeley Court site owned by Seán Dunne, who is believed to be submitting plans at the end of this month for a project which could include a tower of more than 30 storeys.
It is believed that since the local area plan recommending heights of up to 22 storeys was shot down by councillors in June, Mr Dunne may be interpreting the current zoning as having no height restrictions.
Another pair of well-known developers, Bernard McNamara and Jerry O'Reilly, paid €46 million earlier this year for Carrisbrook House on the corner of Northumberland Road and David Daly of Albany Homes spent €25 million on Franklin House on Pembroke Road last year.
