After being stalled for four years, the Citywest convention centre construction project has been granted permission to finish.

Developer Jim Mansfield will now complete the partly built centre, at a cost of between €70m and €90m.

The controversial planning decision comes amid objections from heritage group An Taisce.

Located in Saggart, Dublin, the convention centre will have the capacity for over 4,000 people.

Construction work on the centre was halted in 2004 following opposition from An Taisce and developer Harry Crosbie.

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At the time South Dublin County Council had given the scheme the green light.

However, the centre has now been deemed a component of the council's development plan by the planning board, and continues to comply with the land usage guidelines for the site.

But the scale of the re-started project will be smaller than originally planned, with capacity down from 6,000 to 4,161.

In its ruling Bord Pleanála said: "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."

Mr Mansfield welcoming the board's decision said: "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."

(PR/JM)