Developers among those facing action over unauthorised car parks

DEVELOPERS SEAN Dunne and Ray Grehan are among 20 property-owners facing legal action for running unauthorised car parks in Dublin city centre.

Dublin City Council is taking enforcement action against the owners of 17 car parks after warnings to close were not complied with, its finance strategic policy committee heard yesterday.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority is taking one further set of enforcement proceedings while six of the car parks under scrutiny have applied for and been refused planning permission.

Four of the 20 car parks have closed since coming under pressure from the local authority, though enforcement proceedings are still listed against two of these, according to a report presented to the committee.

Mr Grehan opened a 200-space car park at the former veterinary college in Ballsbridge after he was refused planning permission to develop the site he paid more than €170 million for in 2006.

According to the council, enforcement proceedings are pending in relation to the car park, which was refused planning permission last February.

City Quay Development Ltd, an Isle of Man-registered company run by Mr Dunne, was refused planning permission for a 64-space car park on City Quay last month. It is also the subject of pending enforcement proceedings.

Iarnród Éireann is also the subject of enforcement proceedings in relation to the unauthorised car park it is operating at Connolly Station, which the council says breaches planning regulations.

An enforcement notice is the final step before a prosecution for breaching the planning law, which provide for maximum penalties of a €10 million fine or two years’ imprisonment.

Other car parks which are the subject of enforcement proceedings include the former Fingal County Council offices on O’Connell Street, which was refused retention permission last month, and the former Carlton site at Moore Lane, Old Warehouse in Dublin 1, which was refused permission last December.

The council earned over €8 million last year from its car parks but these are being undercut by the unauthorised car parks.