Council invalidates McGregor house planning application

Kildare County Council has invalidated Conor McGregor's house planning application after finding the plans lodged on behalf of the MMA fighter "are misleading and incorrect".

The council has invalidated the planning application lodged in April to allow Mr McGregor complete his large-scale extension to his €3m Paddocks home near Straffan, arising from a council planner making a site visit earlier this month.

In the letter to Mr McGregor, care of his architect, Tom O’Loughlin in Kildare, the council states that it wishes "to advise that the application is invalid as it does not comply with the requirements of the regulations and, therefore, cannot be considered by the Planning Authority".

The council states that it was noted arising from the site visit on 7 May that the existing site layout plan submitted with the application does not accurately depict what is currently on site.

The council states that this includes an existing "significantly sized marquee type structure which appears to comprise a sports-related facility" and its associated hard surfacing, outdoor shower/toilet structure and connections and a security hut.

The council stated that the site layout plan also does not accurately depict an existing internal road network; an accurate layout of the existing projecting decking area including access points to the River Liffey and its associated water-based activities and shipping containers and a site compound area within the site boundary.

The letter states that "the applicant is required to ensure that the application documents, including but not limited to the plans and particulars, reflect what is existing on site".

The letter states that "if retention permission is required for any existing development on site, this should be considered as part of any future application, and the application documents should reflect same".

The council states that "the drawings submitted are misleading and incorrect, and information has been omitted. Therefore, the planning application is deemed invalid".

In the planning application lodged with the council for the extension, architect for Mr McGregor, Tom O'Loughlin, pointed out that the application to all intents and purposes is the same that was granted planning permission by the council in 2022.

Mr McGregor has pressed ahead with the extension to his existing Paddocks home after An Coimisiún Pleanála delivered a knock-out blow in July of last year to plans by him to demolish his five-bedroom Paddocks home and replace it with a sprawling ‘historic stately home’ style house complete with a cinema, bar and two swimming pools.

The home that Mr McGregor is partly demolishing covers 7,964sq/ft and the permitted extension is 13,131sq/ft.

The 2022 permission comprises alterations, including demolition works, as well as extensions to an existing dwelling and Mr O’Loughlin, of Kildare firm O’Loughlin Architects, confirmed that the original planning permission "is now in the process of being implemented".

House plans show that the home contains a playroom, cinema room, a bar, a dining room, a family room, and a butler’s pantry.

The permitted plan also includes building a partially sunken basement under the relocated tennis court to contain a carpark, gym and ancillary rooms.

The current planning permission for the house extension will expire in early 2027 and the present application "is a slightly modified version" of the 2022 permission.

In the new plans lodged on 3 April, Mr O’Loughlin told the council that the application simply seeks permission to carry out and complete the development after the 2027 expiry date and "is prompted by the fact that whilst the applicant's obligations require his presence abroad, he would prefer to be on-hand to personally deal with any on-site issues which may arise".

Mr O’Loughlin states that as a year or so remains before the parent 2022 permission withers, it is still possible for Mr McGregor "to complete this permitted development".

He said that "although we forecast that substantial works are likely to have been completed before this expiry date, the present application seeks a greater degree of certainty, in order that plans can be made to complete the development in 2027 (and possibly into the year 2028), if the need arises".

Mr O’Loughlin states that in line with the 2022 planning permission, Mr McGregor has already demolished part of the existing dwelling on the land and has removed the tennis court from the property.

Mr McGregor paid out €3m for The Paddocks in 2019 and he paid out €1.65m in June 2022 for the adjacent No 5 Castledillon.

It is now open to Mr McGregor to lodge a new application which may include a retention application for some of the items listed by the council.

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