3204/21
Planning permission for development at the Conrad Hotel, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 V562. A portion of the application site also fronts onto Leeson Street Lower. To the north of the site, is the St. Stephen's Green House office complex. To the south of the site is the Earlsfort Centre office complex, and to the east of the site are the offices fronting onto Lesson Street Lower including Ormonde House, with the National Concert Hall opposite, to the west. The proposed development comprises upgrades works and extension of the existing hotel, including: (i) Provision of new façade and elevational upgrade works to the existing hotel; Minor extensions to the existing building footprint and internal modifications to hotel facilities including revisions to food and beverage provision, café with street hatch, new wellness centre, meeting/conference facilities, back of house and ancillary facilities; (iii) Replacement of ballroom/event space and portion of the basement with new multi-use event space across two floors and 7 no. storeys of new hotel accommodation above (8 storeys total) above basement level; (iv) Provision of additional floor (hotel accommodation) to existing hotel providing for a 9 no. storey building over basement and lower ground floor; (v) The proposal includes a two level roof top bar terrace to Earlsfort Terrace; (vi) The development overall increases the GFA from 14,405 sq.m. to 20,486 sq.m. and increase the no. of hotel rooms from 192 to 280; (vii) Access to the multi-use event space from Leeson Street Lower; (viii) Reduction in car parking from 87 no. to 60 no.; (ix) A new pedestrian access point to Leeson Street Lower; (x) All associated works, site development, demolition and construction work and consequential revisions to the existing hotel internally and externally.
Core Planning Reasoning
The development was recommended for grant as it is consistent with the Z6 and Z8 zoning objectives, complies with national guidelines for building heights and compact urban growth, and appropriately regenerates a city-centre site within SDRA 18 without undue visual impact.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The principle of the proposed hotel extension is acceptable as it aligns with the zoning objectives and the Strategic Development and Regeneration Area (SDRA 18) goals to enhance the area's cultural and commercial vitality.
- The proposed building height and massing, while exceeding local Development Plan limits, are justified under the 2018 Ministerial Guidelines for Building Heights, which supersede local plans to promote densification in well-served urban cores.
- While the daylight impacts on neighboring commercial office buildings (SSGH and Dolmen House) are significant, compliance with BRE guidelines is not mandatory for non-residential premises, and the overall planning benefits of regeneration and increased hotel capacity outweigh these concerns.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Decision Document Summary
The Inspector's Report concerns the proposed expansion and modernization of the Conrad Hotel at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. The project involves a 7-storey wing and an 8th-floor extension, adding 88 bedrooms and a new rooftop bar. The site is a prominent city-centre location near the National Concert Hall, situated within an area identified for strategic regeneration (SDRA 18). The primary points of contention involved the height of the new wing and the resulting loss of daylight to adjacent co...PDF Document Missing
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