Briefing on sale of land to facilitate marina plan

WICKLOW County Council has briefed its northern area councillors on contract documents for sale of almost 50 acres of to facilitate a proposed £50 million marina and leisure development at Greystones.

The 300 berth marina, with a 100 bedroom hotel, a leisure complex and five blocks of apartments and townhouses, on a 25 acre site, is planned for the town's north beach and harbour area. However, to finance a planned £9 million breakwater and the reclamation of an additional 12 acres from the sea, Isle of Man based developer Mr Albert Gubay is seeking a "sweetheart deal" from the council.

This involves the purchase of 23 acres of housing land elsewhere in the town. Under its terms, the 23 acre site adjacent to Charlesland Golf Club would be sold to Mr Gubay's company, Kirkham Enterprises, for about £700,000. Houses on less than half an acre in this area of Greystones would be expected to fetch more than £200,000 each.

While last night's meeting to brief the councillors was held in committee, The Irish Times has learned that councillors were seeking guarantees in the contract documents that profits from the housing development would go into the marina project.