4832/22

The development will consist of: The demolition of existing pitched blazed roof over shopping mall. The construction of a new 111 bedroom hotel around a central lightwell. The new structure will increase the overall height of the building to part five storeys and part six storeys in height. The change of use of one ground floor retail unit to hotel reception. The change of use of two retail units at first floor of the existing shopping centre to hotel storage and staff facilities. The front facade of the existing building onto Rathmines Road Lower will be re-clad in red brick above ground floor level to create a new four-storey scale to the street. Construction of a new metal-clad fire escape stair and plant room enclosure on the south elevation to link down to existing fire escape lane at ground level. All associated drainage works. The total area of the proposed development is 3,554.7 sq.m. The total site area is 14582sq.m. and is bounded by Rathmines Road Lower, Castlewood Lane and Castlewood Avenue.

Refused

Core Refusal Reason

The proposed development is refused due to its excessive scale, height, and monolithic design, which would be overdominant in the historic streetscape of Rathmines, disrupt the setting of the Protected Structure (Town Hall/Clock Tower), and cause unacceptable overbearing and daylight impacts on the residential amenities of Newington Terrace.

Decision Maker's Conclusion

  • The form and scale of the upper floors would appear monolithic and approximately twice the height of neighbouring buildings, failing to respect the established urban grain and the historic character of Rathmines village.
  • The proximity of the proposed rear elevation would result in a significant overbearing effect and an unacceptable loss of natural light for residents of Newington Terrace, particularly Nos. 1 and 2.
  • The proposed development fails to meet the necessary qualitative performance criteria for increased building height and density as set out in the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028, specifically regarding its integration with the historic built environment.

Cited Policies (CDP)

Z4 Zoning ObjectivePolicy SC2 (City's Character)Policy SC5 (Urban Design)Policy SC14 (Building Height Strategy)Policy SC16 (Increased Height in Locations)Policy SC19 (High Quality Architecture)Policy SC23 (Harmonise with Historical Structures)Policy QHSN12 (Local Character)Section 15.5.4 (Height)Appendix 3 (Height Strategy and Performance Criteria)Objective CUO39 (Ancillary Hotel Spaces)

Decision Document Summary

The proposal sought the construction of a hotel (originally 111 rooms, revised to 98 at appeal) on top of the existing Swan Centre in Rathmines. While the Z4 zoning 'Key Urban Village' supports hotel use in principle, the Inspector found that the vertical extension to 5 and 6 storeys was excessive for the specific site context. A primary concern was the disruption of views and the setting of the iconic Rathmines Town Hall and Clock Tower, a protected structure. The Inspector also highlighted tha...
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