DEVELOPER SEÁN Dunne orchestrated a large-scale letter-writing campaign to persuade Dublin City Council to grant permission for his high-rise development in Ballsbridge, An Bord Pleanála has been told.
Mr Dunne is seeking permission for a €1.5 billion residential, retail and office development on the seven-acre site of the former Jurys and Berkeley Court hotels in Ballsbridge which he bought for €450 million three years ago.
The city council earlier this year granted permission for the bulk of Mr Dunne's development, which includes a cultural centre and embassy and media building, but refused permission for the 28,000sq m of offices proposed and a 37-storey 136m tower.
Mr Dunne appealed the refusals to An Bord Pleanála. Some 36 appeals against the development were made to the board, including one from financier Dermot Desmond, while an unprecedented 90 appeals were made in support of Mr Dunne's scheme.
Barrister Colm Mac Eochaidh, who is representing 21 Ballsbridge residents and residents' associations opposing the development,said there had been an "orchestrated campaign" of letter-writing to the council before permission was granted, asking them to approve the development in full.
"Do you know that more people wrote to the council in praise of this scheme than made submissions in relation to the city development plan?" Mr Mac Eochaidh asked senior city planner Kieran Rose. Mr Rose said the letters were valid and were legitimately taken into consideration as part of the planning process. "They didn't influence the final decision that building A was omitted and the offices were omitted," Mr Rose said.
Mr Rose was undergoing cross-examination yesterday in the final stages of the hearing which has lasted more than three weeks. It is expected to finish this week.