The housing developer who last year bought Halcam Court - a large Ballsbridge house divided into flats - for €9.3 million is looking to turn it into a luxury apartment and housing development.

Gerry Gannon of Gannon Homes bought the mid 19th century house on Pembroke Road for a massive €2.8 million over the guide price.

The four-storey over basement house is in need of updating and has a modern six-storey return and a mews on its grounds.

Gerry Gannon has applied for planning permission to Dublin City Council to make internal and external alterations to the house, and reduce the number of apartments from 18 to 15.

He is seeking to partly demolish the mews building on the corner of Pembroke Road and Raglan Road and build a two-storey extension with balconies and courtyards accessed from Raglan Road and Pembroke Lane.

Part of the proposal is a change of use of the three apartments in the mews to four two-storey houses in an L-shaped terrace and to reduce the number of car-parking spaces from 31 to 21.

The distinctive redbrick main house was built in 1843 and has high ceilings, period plasterwork and sash windows. Its status as a protected building will mean that planning conditions will be restrictive.

The car-parking and access from Pembroke Road and Raglan Road make it very attractive to a developer.