The former Top Hat Ballroom, at Longford Place, Monkstown, Co Dublin, has been sold for the second time in about 18 months. Property developers Jimmy and John Flynn, who bought the building and two adjoining houses for £2 million in 1997, have now sold it on for around £3.7 million to housebuilder Dorville Homes. There is full planning permission to demolish the old ballroom and to build 46 apartments on the three-quarter acre site. Dorville Homes is expected to lodge a new planning application to convert the two adjoining houses into four large apartments. The four-storey block with penthouse level will have mainly two-bedroom apartments. Many of the units on the upper floors will have views over Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Hooke & MacDonald will be handling sales for Dorville.