Celebrity architect Dermot Bannon left nothing to be desired when he installed an outdoor bathtub at the bottom of his garden - apart from planning permission.

As a result, the country's most famous home renovator has fallen foul of Dublin City Council, which has launched an investigation into his garden oasis.

Mr Bannon's backyard bathtub was the pièce de résistance of the €600,000 refurbishment carried out on his family home in Dublin, in full view of a massive TV audience.

The two-part episode of 'Room to Improve' aired in January, but the Irish Independent can reveal that he has only now applied for planning permission.

The application came after planners opened an enforcement file and issued a warning letter.

The problem appears to be not so much the bathtub, which was an original feature of the 1930s home, but with the elaborate shelter he concocted to protect himself from the elements.

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He has submitted a retrospective application to the council to retain two storage sheds plus the roof and canopy he laid on top of them, which covers the space between them and extends out over a path on which the hefty iron tub sits.

While the sheds are small enough to be exempted from planning permission under normal circumstances, the oversized galvanised corrugated roofing extends the overall footprint of the structure beyond the limit of 25sqm.

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Technically speaking, it might be possible to argue that the sheltered area is only partly enclosed and therefore not a full building, but it seems despite Mr Bannon's fondness for slatey hues in his clients' homes, this is one area the planners do not want left grey.

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A City Council spokesman said: "I can confirm that there is an enforcement file open on this, a warning letter did issue, and investigations are ongoing."

So far there are no third- party objections filed to the retention application on which the planners are due to make their decision by the end of next month.

Mr Bannon was not directly reachable for comment.

When not bringing the living rooms of Ireland to the living rooms of Ireland on his RTÉ show, he is often globe-trotting to shoot spectacular homes abroad.

He is currently working in Canada, where messages were left for him.

It's not the first time he has had to appease the planners in working to bring his vision of a forever home for his own family of five to life.

Shortly after buying the property on Valentia Road in Drumcondra in 2018, he applied for permission for extensive alterations and enlargements which raised eyebrows among some local residents, resulting in him having to trim the size of the main extension somewhat.

Things didn't go swimmingly in the renovation process either as, after spending €895,000 buying the house, he discovered his €350,000 refurbishment budget wasn't nearly enough.

But 640,000 RTÉ viewers ultimately saw him grinning delightedly in his bathtub with celebrity gardener Dairmuid Gavin as they surveyed the completed job with pleasure.

He previously talked about why he wanted an outdoor bath, saying: "I love sea swimming and I love the hot and the cold so we have put a bath outside the house."

Irish Independent