A UK Company with Irish links is to spend about €15 million on converting the half-built office building into an apartment development...

The Comer Group, run by Galway-born brothers Luke and Brian Comer, has apparently told planning officials in
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council that, provided they get planning approval, they will be going ahead with the completion of the 13-storey Sentinel block, which was abandoned after the property crash.

The Comer Group, which paid close to €1 million for the part- built block, has been actively looking for apartment investments in Dublin since the collapse of the market. The group recently bought two completed apartment blocks at Blanchardstown Town Centre and Milners Square in Santry for an overall figure of €22 million.

The Sentinel building, which will accommodate about 125 apartments when completed, has been the subject of controversy over the past six months because of safety concerns expressed by public representatives.Dún Laoghaire County Council had recently declared the site derelict. They are now seeking a copy of a recent structural report on the safety of the tower from the Comer Group,and  confirmed this week that it recently held a "pre-planning meeting" with the new owners.

The sale to the Comer Group included a shared underground car park.One of the retail units is occupied by the discount supermarket Aldi, while eight other shops are for sale or to rent.

Article Published: 14/06/2012