Developer Jim Mansfield has been given permission to complete the partly built convention centre at Citywest – four years after the project was halted amid construction.

However, the go ahead for its completion was granted amidst controversy as the planning appeals board over-ruled an objection by heritage group An Taisce and the recommendation of one of its own inspectors.

The convention centre, to be located in Saggart, Co Dublin will have the capacity to house over 4,100 delegates and will cost between €70m - €90m to complete.

The centre is partly built, but was stalled by objections from both An Taisce and rival developer Harry Crosbie in 2004, when South Dublin County Council originally gave the facility the go-ahead.

In its ruling, the board states the centre meets a specific objective of the Council’s development plan, and is in line with existing land use for the site.

The board also pointed out that Mr Mansfield last year cut the centre's capacity from 6,000 to 4,161.

"In deciding not to accept the inspector's recommendation to refuse permission, the board had particular regard to the improved public transport facilities and the scale of the facility in relation to existing development permitted on the site," Bord Pleanála states in its ruling.

Mansfield Group is one of three developers with interests in the area who are paying €13 million each to cover the cost of extending the Luas to Saggart from Tallaght.

Mr Mansfield welcomed Bord Pleanála's decision yesterday. "It's a great pity that this project has been delayed so long at an estimated cost of €1 million a week to the local economy in south Dublin, but we are eager to move this development forward as quickly as possible," he said.

Mr Mansfield added that the hotel has been turning away "significant amounts" of conference business because the group was unable to complete the centre.

The developers other interests include Citywest Hotel and business park, Finnstown House Hotel, near Adamstown, Weston Aerodrome and Johnstown House in Co Kildare.

Source: Irish Times