Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has been forced to withdraw its order for prominent publican Charlie Chawke to pay €21,500 for renovations to one of his pubs, following a report by An Bord Pleanála.
Hugh Mannion of An Bord Pleanála determined that the council misinterpreted the the plans Chawke had presented for an extension to The Goat pub in Goatstown, Dublin.
According to the Irish Times, Mannion's findings showed the council had "no grounds" to charge the sum for a proposed 14-square metre extension to the pub. The refurbishments would include the building of a new restaurant, disabled lift and smoking area.
The council had ordered Chawke to pay based on its assertion that the extension would materially impact water infrastructure, local roads and community parks. This, however, was not the case, as the report by the body found.
Charlie Chawke owns a number of popular properties in Dublin and Limerick, including The Bank on College Green and the Orchard Inn, which became Ireland's most expensive pub when it was bought for €22 million in 2005.
