Observation pack · Dublin City Council

1, Ballsbridge Park, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 E5N4

Renmark Property Holdings Limited intends to apply for permission for development on this site of c. 0.463 hectares at No. 1 Ballsbridge Park, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 E5N4. Planning permission was received for development, including development on this site, under Dublin City Council Reg. Ref. 3594/22. The demolition of the 5-storey structure on site (formerly known as Zurich House) and associated ESB substation, removal of foundations, tree removal, reduction of ground level and erection of site hoarding / fencing have been undertaken on the site further to this permission. The proposed development will consist of the construction of an aparthotel and a hotel in two standalone blocks with common external service space at Lower Ground Floor, comprising a total gross floor area of c. 19,125 sq m. The aparthotel building is 10 storeys (with setbacks at First, Sixth, and Eighth Floor Levels) in height (over Lower Ground Floor) (excluding plant areas and lift overruns) comprising associated licensed restaurant and public bar uses. Publicly accessible balconies / terraces are provided on the west elevation from Second to Ninth Floor Levels. The aparthotel, measuring c. 9,067 sq m gross floor area, will comprise 194 No. bedrooms with ancillary kitchenettes, and related ancillary aparthotel facilities. The aparthotel’s reception area, licensed restaurant and public bar areas are also proposed to function as a flexible multi-use function space (to accommodate evening and night-time uses / arts / culture / recreational / performance). The hotel building is 10 storeys (with setbacks at First, Sixth, Eighth Floor Levels) in height (over Lower Ground Floor) (excluding plant areas and lift overruns) comprising associated licensed restaurant and public bar uses. The hotel, measuring measure c. 10,058 sq m gross floor area, will comprise 244 No. bedrooms and related ancillary hotel facilities. Both the aparthotel and hotel will also provide the following ancillary facilities: reception areas, lobbies, licensed restaurants with lounges and public bars, meeting rooms, coworking spaces, toilets, gyms, back-of-house, administration and staff facilities, kitchens, storage areas, bin stores, water tanks rooms, plant rooms and ESB substations and switchrooms. The development will also include: vehicular, cyclist and pedestrian access / egress via Ballsbridge Park via upgrades to the existing site access point in the south and the creation of a new site access point in the north; car parking (including electric vehicle charging), bicycle parking, loading bays and vehicular circulation routes; Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (including green roofs, blue roofs, permeable paving and attenuation tanks); roof-mounted photovoltaic panels; roof plant and associated screening; associated hard and soft landscaping (including tree and vegetation removal); lighting; and all other associated site excavation, infrastructural and site development works above and below ground including changes in level, boundary treatments and associated site servicing and connections (foul and surface water drainage, surface water attenuation and water supply).

Observations close 16 Nov 2026 11 days left

5 weeks from receipt (received 12 Oct 2026) · s.34 Planning and Development Act 2000 · art. 29 Regulations 2001 · fee €20

The application

Reference: WEB3511/26 · full record
Authority: Dublin City Council
Type: Permission
Status: Decision Notice Issued
Applicant: Renmark Property Holdings Limited
Units: —
Floor area: —
Site area: —
Received: 12 Oct 2026
We first saw it: 28 Oct 2026, 23:03
Decision due: —
Decision: Application declared invalid

The national dataset truncates descriptions (80 characters for DLR, 70 for Fingal) and omits the applicant. The full description and the drawings are on the council register linked in step 1.

How to submit an observation

Read the file on the council register.No register URL is recorded for this reference; search the Dublin City Council planning register for WEB3511/26.
Write your observation.Quote WEB3511/26 at the top, give your name and the address the authority should reply to, and confine it to planning matters — zoning objective, height, overlooking, traffic, drainage, heritage. What you say here is what you can later appeal on.
Pay the €20 fee.Every submission needs it; without it the observation is invalid and is returned. Dublin City Council takes it online with the submission or at the counter.
Submit before 16 Nov 2026.Online through the register above, or in writing to the Planning Department, Dublin City Council. The test is the date the authority receives it, not the date you post it.
Keep the acknowledgement.The council's receipt is your proof of a valid observation — see below.

Statutory basis. Section 34(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires a planning authority to consider any submission or observation made to it in accordance with the Regulations. Article 29 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) sets the window: a submission or observation must be received by the authority within five weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application, and must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20. A submission received after the window, or without the fee, is invalid and the authority must return it.

After you submit: keep the acknowledgement. Under the 2024 Act it secures your right to appeal — only the applicant and a person who made a valid observation may bring the council's decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála, within four weeks of the decision. Making a valid observation is also what buys a right of appeal: under s.37(1) of the 2000 Act, only the applicant and a person who made a valid submission or observation to the planning authority may appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála (within four weeks of the decision). Missing the five-week window closes both doors.

What the site is zoned

Code	Objective	Plan	In force
	Zone Z2 - DEV PLAN 2022-2028	Dublin City Council development plan	—
R2 Existing residential	Z2: Residential Neighbourhoods (Conservation Areas): To protect and/or improve the amenities of residential conservation areas.	development plan 2022 2028	14 Dec 2022 → 31 Dec 2028
R2 Existing residential	Z2: Residential Neighbourhoods (Conservation Areas): To protect and/or improve the amenities of residential conservation areas.	development plan 2022 2028 variation no 11	14 Dec 2022 → 31 Dec 2028

An application that accords with the zoning objective is hard to resist on principle; one that does not may be a material contravention, which the council can only grant by the s.34(6) procedure with its own notice and window.

Source: Dublin City Council development plan zoning · fetched 4 Oct 2026, 23:04

Source	Licence	Fetched	Link
Dublin City Council development plan zoning	—	4 Oct 2026, 23:04	open

Designations on or near the site

Radon risk area × 1
About 1 in 20 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels
OPW flood extent nearby floodinfo.ie
Shown as a flag only — the OPW licence does not allow us to redistribute the extent.

Nearby precedents within 500 m, last 5 years

Decisions

Reference	Decision	Decided	Units	Distance	Description
WEB2071/26	Refuse retention permission	25 Jun 2026	—	116 m	RETENTION of the clear glazing installed in two windows at first floor on the southern elevation of the house.
5018/26	Grant permission	19 Jun 2026	—	452 m	The demolition of the existing single storey side garage structure and the existing part single , part two storey lean to structure to the rear of the existing dwelling and the construction of a new part single , part two storey side and rear extension , conversion of the existing attic level to include provision of 1 no. dormer window to the rear of the main roof and 3 no. south east facing gable windows at attic and first floor level , all ancillary site works to the front and rear of the existing dwelling to include widening of the existing front vehicuar entrance.
WEB5405/25	Grant permission	2 Apr 2026	3	371 m	The development will consist of: a) alterations to an existing semi-detached dwelling (house no.1) comprising of the demolition of existing two storey flat roofed sections to the side and rear of the existing two storey dwelling and build a new two storey rear extension and front entrance door together with a new vehicular entrance from Stand Road b) demolish the sheds on the south of the site and construct a semi-detached building comprising of 2no. 3 storey dwellings (house no. 2 & 3) with balcony structures to the front looking onto the Strand, a balcony to the side of house no. 3 and a balcony to the rear of house no.2 and a new vehicular entrance on St. Albans Park for house no.3. c) a new 3 storey detached dwelling c/w rear dormer window (house no. 4) at the south / west corner of the rear of the site, with a new vehicular entrance on St. Albans Park d) new boundary walls on the Strand Road and on St. Albans Park and in the gardens between the 4 houses.
WEB1230/26	Grant permission	31 Mar 2026	—	466 m	Demolition of, 1. Existing single storey extension (32 m2) to rear of the original house, 2. Existing standalone garden studio room (20 m2) 3. Existing chimney Construction of, 1. A 2-storey extension to rear of the original house, extending to a total of 118m2 to include, ground level open plan kitchen, dining, family living room and first floor bedroom suite. 2. An outdoor pool in rear garden 3. A single storey garden room extending to 30 m2 including an adjacent pool plant room and W.C./shower. Works to include, 1. A new side access gate and wall, 2. Rooflights, photovoltaic panels, external heat pump. 3. All associated site works, as well as hard and soft landscaping. 4. Energy retrofit upgrades including replacement windows and external wall insulation. 5. Remodelling of interior layout of the existing house.
WEB1205/26	Application declared invalid	3 Feb 2026	—	466 m	Demolition of, 1. Existing single storey extension (32 m2) to rear of the original house, 2. Existing standalone garden studio room (20 m2) 3. Existing chimney Construction of, 1. A 2-storey extension to rear of the original house, extending to a total of 118m2 to include, ground level open plan kitchen, dining, family living room and first floor bedroom suite. 2. An outdoor pool in rear garden 3. A single storey garden room extending to 30 m2 including an adjacent pool plant room and W.C./shower. Works to include, 1. A new side access gate and wall, 2. Rooflights, photovoltaic panels, external heat pump 3. All associated site works, as well as hard and soft landscaping. 4. Energy retrofit upgrades including replacement windows and external wall insulation 5. Remodelling of interior layout of the existing house.
WEB5369/25	Application declared invalid	14 Oct 2025	—	371 m	The development will consist of: a) alterations and two storey extensions to the side and rear of the existing two storey semi-detached dwelling (house no.1) and a new vehicular entrance from Stand Road b) demolish the sheds on the south of the site and construct a semi-detached building comprising of 2no. 3 storey dwellings (house no. 2 & 3) with balcony structures to the front looking onto the Strand, a balcony to the side of house no. 3 and a balcony to the rear of house no.2 and a new vehicular entrance on St. Albans Park for house no.3. c) a new 3 storey detached dwelling (house no. 4) at the south / west corner of the rear of the site, with a new vehicular entrance on St. Albans Park d) new boundary walls on the Strand Road, on St. Albans Park and in the gardens between the 4 houses.
3353/25	Split decision(permission & refusal)	9 Oct 2025	—	402 m	The development will consist of amendments to the granted planning application ref no. 3226/24 , which includes the demolition of an existing red brick chimney to the rear , the widening of the permitted glazing to rear extension , the alteration of permitted door and wall openings , the construction of a new pantry extension within rear courtyard , the provision of new rooflights to the rear , the reinstatment of glazing to the roof over the first floor conservatory , the widening of the permitted garage to the rear of the house , the widening of the existing vehicular side entrance gate and all associated internal refurbishment , services and site works .
WEB2728/25	Grant permission	16 Sept 2025	—	59 m	Demolition of existing single storey extension to the rear and the proposed two storey and single storey extension to the rear of the existing house. The proposal also includes the replacement of a dilapidated roof structure to match the ridge height and finish of existing roof. The proposal also includes a new pedestrian entrance gate to the front, new sash windows and front door to the front and all associated internal modifications and site ancillary works to the site to facilitate the works.

Appeals

ACP case	Type	Outcome	Decided	Distance
501256	Planning Appeal	Granted	25 Aug 2026	371 m
501733	Planning Appeal	open	21 Jul 2026	116 m
501691	Planning Appeal	pending	10 Jul 2026	496 m
321075	Planning Appeal	Refused	16 Jun 2026	275 m
323477	Planning Appeal	Granted with conditions	16 Dec 2025	360 m
323497	Planning Appeal	Other	2 Dec 2025	482 m
323573	Planning Appeal	open	5 Sept 2025	384 m
320052	Planning Appeal	Granted with conditions	3 Sept 2025	189 m

If neighbours here have appealed before and lost, the inspector's report on that case is the single most useful thing to read.

What has happened on this file

12 Oct 2026 New application · observations close 16 Nov 2026
15 Oct 2026 Decision · appeal window closes 12 Nov 2026

Generated from the Planning Register store; nothing was fetched live for this page. Source: national planning dataset, fetched 28 Oct 2026, 23:03. Not legal advice — confirm the deadline with Dublin City Council before relying on it.