Merrion Hotel among objectors as planning permission refused for new Dublin hotel

Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for a new hotel scheme for Baggot Street after the five-star Merrion Hotel and local residents objected to the plans.
Peachbeach UC, a company connected to businessman Eamon Waters, last month lodged plans for a 66-bedroom hotel and 23 apartments over six storeys for 15-16 Lower Baggot Street.
The proposal involves the demolition of the existing three-storey buildings at the address and also includes the provision of a retail cafe/restaurant and a gym. A planning report by consultants Tom Phillips + Associates told the council that the scheme will not give rise to an over-concentration of hotels in the area.
Executive planner at the firm, Ciara Lester contended that the scheme has been designed sensitively and will not give rise to unacceptable impacts on the surrounding context, including existing neighbouring residential development.
The general manager at the nearby Merrion Hotel, Peter McCann, lodged an objection. Mr McCann told the council the hotel was “strongly objecting” to the scheme as it would have a detrimental impact on the its ability to operate successfully. Mr McCann said “we are concerned that the mixed-use scheme as currently proposed will result in increased overlooking of the Merrion Hotel, which will adversely affect the privacy afforded to hotel residents”.
Mr McCann stated that the floor plans demonstrate a separation distance of just 7.8 metres between the planned mixed use scheme and the Merrion Hotel. Mr McCann said that the Merrion Hotel has no difficulty with the principle of hotel development on the site “and the concerns expressed in this observation relate to the impact of the proposed development on the Merrion Hotel building and its ability to continue to operate successfully”.
He said: “We have demonstrated that we have genuine and serious concerns regarding the impact the proposed development will have on our business at The Merrion Hotel.”
The council refused planning permission after concluding that the proposed scheme is overly dominant, is inappropriate in terms of the proposed height and scale, and would result in extensive and unjustifiable demolition of original historic fabric.
The council has also refused planning permission as the scheme’s height, scale and massing is likely to have noticeable and detrimental overbearing and overshadowing impacts on neighbouring properties. It also found that the proposed scheme would constitute an overdevelopment of the subject site, would devalue property in the vicinity and would create a precedent for similar type undesirable development.