AroundtheBlock: With Ireland's timber frame industry rapidly encroaching on the traditional concrete-built new housing market, it seemed only a matter of time before big business flexed its muscles and fought back.
This week's glossy magazine from the Irish Concrete Federation devoted no less than four pages to an expose of the dangers of fires in timber framed buildings. It claimed that, while arson attacks on lightweight framed buildings are random in Ireland, it was even worse in Scotland where organised crime had developed a lucrative business attacking buildings under construction. And if that was not enough to put punters off timber framed buildings, it went on to report a series of fires in occupied houses, warning that these incidents have "given rise to concerns as to the fire safety of lightweight timber framed homes".
Could the concern be more about the loss of business to the fast-expanding timber frame manufacturers? In the present year this method of housebuilding will account for 27 per cent of all new homes. That means a serious loss of business to the concrete men who, let's face it, have had a great run for the last few decades because of Government support. And things can only get worse for them because, with all new homes from 2007 subject to energy efficiency, there can only be one way forward. Timberrrrrr . . .
Bank to move carefully
The brickies' bank, Anglo Irish, may lose more than it gains in choosing where to relocate its new Dublin HQ. As everyone knows, the bank is funding every second builder in the city and beyond, and with many of their customers anxious to offload new office blocks both in the Docklands and Ballsbridge to blue chip tenants, chief executive David Drumm will have to tread carefully. The shortlist is likely to include Paddy Kelly's new block on Burlington Road, Sean Kelly's revamp of Bolands Mills and Treasury's ambitious scheme at Spencer Dock. The alternative for the bank would be to jump on the Luas to Sandyford where rents are half those in the city, but that might not suit some of senior executives who would miss their regular tables in Peploes a few doors down from their current offices in Stephen's Court. Like so many properties in the Irish Life portfolio it could do with a makeover, though this is likely to happen when the bank moves on.
Mad for Madeira
Madeira has always been favourite with rich elderly English folk but now the Irish are set to shake-up the island following the sell-out launch last weekend of Palheiro Village - a luxury apartment and villa complex by the sea. Well heeled buyers who wouldn't be caught dead on the costas booked their holiday homes at a Dublin exhibition run by Gabrielle O'Malley's Splash International. The homes, from €265,000 to €710,000, will be ready next spring. The attraction is the year round good weather, golf, and the rarified old world atmosphere of the shops and restaurants, not to mention the Madeira wine.
Direct to Dubai
Irish interest in an overseas destinations soars when direct flights are announced, so watch out for agents jumping on the Dubai bandwagon as, from March, Aer Lingus will have three flights a week at around €430 return, about half the price of fares through London. Irish builders are heavily involved in construction in Dubai, says Irish agent Pat Cody of Marlborough International, who markets Dubai's Jumeirah Lake Towers from his Ballsbridge offices.
