A well-known Co Clare businessman has lodged plans to demolish a four bedroomed home on a property he and his wife purchased for €1 million in the seaside resort of Lahinch last Summer and construct a new home more than double in size.
Last Summer, former EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and founder of healthcare recruitment group, TTM Healthcare, Brian Crowley and his wife, Susan Crowley purchased Thalassa at Seapark, Lahinch for €1.005m.
During an online auction which lasted 1 hr and seven minutes last June where bidding started at €650,000, the Crowleys beat off bids from five other bidders to purchase the property for €1.005 million.
The online brochure for the property – built in 1971 – stated that “situated on an elevated site with uninterrupted panoramic views overlooking Lahinch Beach, ‘Thalassa’ is a home in one of the most sought after locations along the west coast of Ireland”.
An entry on the Residential Price Property Register confirms that the €1.005 million sale went through on August 13th last.
Now, Brian and Susan Crowley have lodged plans with Clare County Council to demolish Thalassa and construct a new detached dwelling.
The new home will be more than double the size in floor space than Thalassa with gross floor space of the new home at 314 sq m compared to the 126 sq m for Thalassa.
Mr Crowley represented Ireland in boxing at under-age level and in 2024 TTM Healthcare generated revenues of €144.26 million in 2024 as pre-tax profits increased by 8 per cent to €12.46 million. TTM has offices at the Ballymaley Business Park outside Ennis.
In documentation lodged with the new plans, chartered architect, Paul Keating outlines the justification for demolishing Thalassa.
He told Council planners in an email that “the existing house is in a poor state of repair and is unviable as a refurbishment option and as a result we are proposing to demolish the existing house and construct a new build”.
Mr Keating of JE Keating and Associates Architects has told the planners that “in our approach we are acutely aware of the sensitivity of the site and its location in a settled housing estate”.
Mr Keating said that the design approach shows “however we have respected the pattern of development as well as the proximity of the adjoining neighbours”.
Mr Keating has told the council that “we will submit a structural report from a qualified engineer stating the degraded nature of the existing structure which will need to be demolished as the clients want to build a Nzeb (Nearly zero energy building) standard compliant energy efficient home”.
Mr Keating points out that Thalassa is not a protected structure or within an Architectural Heritage Conservation Area.
No objections have been lodged against the application with the closing date now closed and the Council is due to make a decision on the application next month.
