Construction begins on UFC star Conor McGregor’s multi-million euro build-to-rent apartments in Co Dublin

BUILDING work has started on Conor McGregor’s multi-million euro housing scheme, we can reveal.

The UFC star, 35, plans to construct hundreds of ­build-to-rent apartments in Drimnagh, south Dublin.

But McGregor’s project along the Grand Canal has been slowed as developers grappled with a series of planning requirements.

In September last year we revealed how Dublin City Council bosses had asked developers, Corcom, to prepare a management plan to KO a Japanese knotweed problem on the site.

Then a month later, DCC hammered the UFC star with another planning requirement — this time to monitor bat activity.

However, it appears the Dubliner has overcome both problems as construction got under way on the site this week.

A source said: “Demolition has started on the site.

"The old petrol station was knocked down and the roof was taken off the building.

"The knotweed came out earlier this year and they covered it with gravel and shale.

"There was a whole plan around how to remove and dispose of it safely.

“It’s going to be a great ­development once it’s all done.

"That area along the Grand Canal has been crying out for investment for years.”

MMA ace McGregor has fought a number of tough battles to get his multi-million euro building scheme going.

Not long after he announced the flats ­venture, local councillor Maire Devine slammed the Crumlin native’s €100million deal and called for it to be stopped.

Speaking to The Irish Sun on Sunday this week, the Sinn Fein rep said she still hopes locals can benefit from the scheme.

She told us: “Build-to-rents are not what we need but what can you do?

UNAFFORDABLE FOR MOST

"It is nice to see development and I’d ­welcome homes being built, but at the end of the day they won’t be affordable for people around here.

"I believe build-to-rents are overpriced, and their time is gone, but it seems to be all that’s being built now.

“It would have been nice for the development to have been used by the community.

"He says he’s a man of the people, so maybe yet he will have ­something in this development for the community.”

After being hammered by Dublin City Council over the knotweed problem, Corcom put together an 18-page document on how they planned to destroy the vicious vine.

But, a month later DCC asked the firm to compile a survey on bat activity at the site.

They said the reason was to “avoid the injury or death of bats afforded a regime of strict protection under the Habitats Directive”.

The warehouse buildings on Davitt Road was deemed to be a roost site for three common ­pipistrelles in July 2020.

All bat species are protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976-2018.

This time McGregor’s reps responded with a 29-page report, which said the bats had bolted.