Hi °C | Lo °C DEVELOPER Sean Dunne's high-rise plans for Ballsbridge will be subject to a preliminary oral hearing next week.
An Bord Pleanala will hold the session in an attempt to streamline the process in advance of a full public examination of the developer's project.
The holding of a preliminary hearing is a rare move by the planning board.
It is designed to cope with the unprecedented levels of interest in Mr Dunne's proposals.
"I can't remember the last time we would have had one," a Bord Pleanala spokesperson said.
"What normally happens is that, in relation to an oral hearing, the inspector, with the board's authority, would outline the agenda."
A letter from the board states: "Due to the large number of third party appeals and observer submissions received, the board has decided to hold a preliminary meeting prior to the commencement of the substantive oral hearing in the appeal.
"The primary purpose of the preliminary meeting is to ascertain the numbers intending to make submissions at the oral hearing and to facilitate the setting out of a detailed agenda for the hearing."
It will be held at the Minerva Suite of the RDS in Dublin 4 next Wednesday.
Dublin City Council has already approved much of Mr Dunne's plan for the former Jury's/Berkeley Court site.
However, the local authority knocked back the centrepiece -- a proposal for a 37-storey landmark tower.
A total of 127 people -- a record number -- appealed to the board following the council's decision.
Sites
Mr Dunne paid €380m in 2005 to secure the Jury's and Berkeley Court sites.
At the time, it was the highest amount paid for land anywhere in the country.
Mr Dunne has previously said it would cost €1bn to redevelop the site.
His Mountbrook Homes company was granted permission to build 294 family-sized apartments, a 13-storey 232-bedroom hotel and a 16-storey embassy building on the lands.
Permission was also granted for a cultural centre on the site.
Mr Dunne promised to spend €31m on the local community in Ringsend and Sandymount in a bid to reduce opposition to the development.
The package includes a possible €5m redevelopment of existing sheltered housing at Sandymount, as well as an €11m community centre in Ringsend.
Of the 774 submissions received by the council, almost two-thirds supported the project.
Among the supporters were former Kilkenny hurling star DJ Carey, theatre impresario Michael Colgan and singer-turned-actor Keith Duffy.
