3200/22
Planning permission for development at Holiday Inn Express (Formerly known as Findlater House), 28-32 O'Connell Street Upper and Cathal Brugha Street / Findlater Place, Dublin 1. The application site is located on the junction of O'Connell Street Upper, Findlater Place and Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1. The subject site is located within the O'Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area. The proposed development will consist of alterations and provision of an extension (comprising 7 storeys over basement) to the existing / permitted 8 storey hotel building (an additional eighth storey, permitted under Reg. Ref.: 2084/18 & ABP Ref.: 301378-18, and a fire fighting shaft, permitted under Reg. Ref.: 2850/19, have yet to be implemented). The proposed development comprises of the following: • Alterations to the existing basement level involving the omission of the existing car parking spaces and access ramp to provide 9 no. hotel rooms, plant, bin store and ancillary back of house areas; • The demolition of c. 355 sq.m of existing hotel floorspace and external ancillary structures within the existing courtyard and alterations to the existing bar/restaurant at ground floor level, and provision of a proposed extension including an additional 9 no. hotel rooms at ground floor level. It is also proposed to provide 34 no. cycle spaces at ground floor level; • A proposed seven storey extension (located within the existing courtyard to the rear of the site) from basement to 6th floor level to provide for an additional 103 no. hotel rooms; • Alterations to existing hotel rooms and removal of 6 no. rooms from first to sixth floor level to provide access to stair/lift cores and the proposed extension; • The proposed development will increase the total number of existing / permitted hotel rooms from 214 no. to 311 no. rooms, i.e. a net increase of 97 no. hotel rooms, and will increase the overall gross floor area from c. 10,880 sq.m to c. 13,490 sq.m.; and • The proposed development also includes for the decommissioning of an existing ESB substation and provision of a new ESB sub-station at ground floor level, and all associated and ancillary works.
Core Planning Reasoning
The development was recommended for a grant of permission as it is consistent with the Z5 City Centre zoning objective and the established pattern of development in the area, provided that one floor is omitted to ensure the scale and massing do not negatively impact the amenities of adjoining properties or the character of the Architectural Conservation Area.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed hotel extension is compatible with the Z5 zoning objective and constitutes an efficient use of backland city-centre space.
- The loss of the existing courtyard/beer garden is acceptable as the space is not a designated cultural venue and the current use appears to be unauthorized.
- To protect the daylight and sunlight amenities of neighboring properties on Parnell Street, the proposed fourth floor must be omitted to better mirror the scale of the surrounding urban grain.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Decision Document Summary
The proposal seeks a significant extension to the Holiday Inn Express at 28-32 O'Connell Street Upper, Dublin 1, located within a highly sensitive Architectural Conservation Area (ACA). The development initially proposed a seven-storey-over-basement extension into an internal courtyard currently used as an informal beer garden for nearby public houses. Third-party appellants argued the project would destroy cultural diversity, over-concentrate hotel use, and negatively impact the sunlight of adj...PDF Document Missing
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