An Coimisiún Pleanála has refused planning permission for a new home on the grounds of “one of the greatest Irish houses of the 20th century”, Tallon House on Golf Lane in Foxrock.
Designed by the late Ronnie Tallon – one of the most renowned names in Irish architecture – Tallon House was the only private home here dating from the latter half of the 20th century rated as being of national importance in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The flat-roofed, glass-and-steel house on stilts located at Golf Lane, Foxrock, Dublin 18 was purchased in 2023 for €2.8 million by businessman Derek O’Leary and his wife Belinda.
Through the O’Leary family company, Basl Developments Ltd, they sought planning permission in August 2024 for a flat-roofed, two-storey dwelling in the grounds of Tallon House.
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Last October, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council refused permission after its executive conservation officer, Sinéad O’Hara, recommended refusal.
She described Tallon House as “one of the greatest Irish houses of the 20th century”.
Basl Developments Ltd lodged an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála, which has refused permission after concluding that the proposed two-storey dwelling, due to its design, siting and scale, “would have an overbearing visual impact and would be detrimental to the unique character and setting of Tallon House”.
The Basl Developments appeal submitted a revised house design with minor amendments.
The appeal contended that the revised design, repositioning of the house and the proposed landscape strategy would overcome any negative impact on Tallon House.
Those to lodge observations with the commission in support of the council’s refusal included An Taisce and former environment editor at The Irish Times, Frank McDonald.
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The planning commission inspector in the case, Oluwatosin Kehinde, recommended a refusal after concluding that the proposed development would undermine the original design concept of Tallon House, interrupt the views from the house and will visually detract from the experience of arriving at the side of the protected structure.
“I consider that the proposed development would be detrimental to the architectural value of Tallon House and its surrounding landscape,” the inspector concluded.
Mr Tallon died in 2014 at the age of 87.
