Hi °C | Lo °C U2 guitarist The Edge and a son of Belfast-born developer Paddy McKillen have suffered a blow in their bid to build five luxury homes in sunny California.
The musician has been locked in a dispute with local authorities over plans to build the homes — which range in size between 7,220 and 12,785 sq ft — near Malibu.
In a bid to realise his Malibu dream, The Edge, whose real name is Dave Evans, hired an eco-friendly architect with links to developers Derek Quinlan and Paddy McKillen.
Mr McKillen had caused for celebration last week when the Supreme Court ruled that Nama had not made a legally valid decision to acquire property loans worth €2.1bn which he had built up.
Now his son Dean has emerged as the main figure behind one of the companies seeking planning permission in Malibu.
He replaced an associate of Derek Quinland as the “principal” of the company last year.
The parties want to build the houses in the hills on the Pacific coast but officials say they will harm the local environment.
Now the California Coastal Commission, a planning body in the US state, has recommended that the planning applications be rejected.
The commission said the area is undeveloped and comprised of steep mountainous terrain.
“The proposed construction of single family residences is not consistent with the guidance policies of Malibu-Santa Monica Mountains (and) would result in significant impacts to visual resources,” the report said.
Mr Evans bought the 157-acre site for $9m in 2005 with Mr Quinlan but has already faced opposition to his plans from residents in the area.
The planning applications will be discussed at a meeting in California on Thursday.
Dean McKillen is not the only member of the family with business links to U2. Mr McKillen and Mr Quinlan are partners with U2 in the Clarence Hotel in Dublin.
Separately, the pair are joint owners of the Maybourne Hotel Group, which boasts Claridge’s, the Berkeley and the Connaught in London.
