Developer behind some of Dublin’s new landmarks
RICHARD Barrett, the developer at the centre of the current planning row, made his name and his millions during the Celtic Tiger as one of the country’s leading property developers.
One of the former chiefs of Treasury Holdings, he is responsible for some of the country’s most recognised properties.
The company’s developments includes Dublin’s Convention Centre, the Treasury Building on Dublin’s Grand Canal Street and the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Co. Wicklow, which is now the Powerscourt Hotel.
However, the company collapsed following the economic crash, despite at one point having assets worth a combined value of €4.6billion.
Mr Barrett went his separate ways from his Treasury Holdings partner, Johnny Ronan.
However, he continues to buy residential development sites in in-demand areas of the capital and was involved in a series of start-ups through his company Bartra Capital Property Group.
Last year, his company secured planning permission for an apartment complex in Stoneybatter, Dublin, after his original request to construct a seven-storey development was shot down due to concerns that it would not fit in with the area.
Bartra Capital also recently injected €75,000 into bike-sharing start-up BleeperBike, which allows users to locate and unlock bikes around the city centre.
The Mayo native has been partially based in Asia for the past number of years.
As well as being involved in the property sector, he is also a trained barrister and a former consultant to the IMF.