A south Dublin homeowner has been issued with an enforcement order by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council after he had most of his €5.35 million house in Sandycove demolishedwithout proper planning permission.
John Hurley has been told to halt work at Mornington House, a five-bedroom Victorian era house at Sandycove Point, because far more of the house had been demolished than was permitted under planning permission.
Mr Hurley bought the house in 2005 and subsequently secured planning permission to demolish a two-storey extension to the house as well as a front porch, sunroom and conservatory.
Permission was also granted for a new two-storey contemporary extension linked to the main house by a glazed corridor.
However, when a planning enforcement officer from the council inspected the site it was found that the majority of the house had been demolished.
In a warning letter issued to Mr Hurley last week, the council said it considered the demolition works undertaken by him to be outside the extent of the planning permission granted for the site, according to a spokesman for the council.
If any more work goes ahead on the site the local authority says it will apply to the circuit court for an injunction.
Mr Hurley cannot proceed with any further work on the site until he seeks new planning permission, the spokesman explained.
The local authority is aware that the delays involved in the case are costing Mr Hurley thousands of euro, he added.
When contacted Mr Hurley said his architect was in discussions with the council regarding the matter, and he had no further comment to make.
The incidence of houses being demolished without planning permission is on the increase, according to the council.
In the last 12 months the council has had to deal with three such cases.
In August 2006 property developer Fergal Gaughran agreed to rebuild an almost completely demolished house at The Rise, Mount Merrion, after the council brought enforcement proceedings against him in Dublin Circuit Civil Court.
Last year another property developer, Felix Whelan, was also served with an enforcement order by the council halting demolition work on his €7 million house in Palmerston Park.