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A PROPOSED DUBLIN city centre hotel being built by the sons of one of Ireland’s biggest developers has been put on hold, after a resident claimed it would breach his ‘right to light’.
Last month a firm called the Dublin Loft Company received planning permission to build a hotel at 6-11 Hendrick Street near Smithfield Square, a prime location in Dublin city centre.
Dublin Loft Company is a firm controlled by Mark and Andrew Cosgrave, the sons of Peter Cosgrave, one of Ireland’s best known builders and the head of the Cosgrave Group.
The development would be the most significant yet for the young builders, aged just 26 and 30 respectively, who also recently developed a small block of 15 apartments in Smithfield.
Mark Cosgrave told Fora that, if it does go ahead, the hotel will be by far the company’s biggest project to date.
“It would be by far our biggest development, going from 15 apartments to a hotel is a big jump,” he said.
The Cosgraves received permission to build the 175-bedroom hotel that could stretch up to seven storeys and will extend to 60,000 sq ft. It will replace the existing 3,000 sq ft single-storey property at the site.
It is proposed that the ground floor of the hotel will have a bar, dining areas and offices, as well as a landscaped courtyard area outside.
Protected structure
The house next to the proposed hotel, 12 Hendrick Street, is a protected structure. An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, already asked for the development to be scaled down to show “appropriate sensitivity” to the nearby house.
Dublin City Council granted the Cosgraves permission for development, but the owner of the house has appealed that decision.
A letter sent on behalf of the owner said that 12 Hendrick Street “is the sole surviving house from an elegant terrace of early Georgian houses”.
“The proposed development will completely block the light to rear windows, leaving rear rooms in a state of semi-permanent darkness. The right to light is being compromised by the proposed development,” it said.
“The redevelopment of the historic core of Dublin city adjacent to a protected structure requires more sensitive design solution than this. We therefore submit that the local authority should be overturned.”
The case is due to be decided in June.
Cosgrave group
The hotel would be a big development for the Cosgrave sons if it does go ahead, in one of the most desirable locations in the city.
Mark Cosgrave said that the 15 apartments that made up the pair’s Oxmanstown Loft development sold out in a single weekend. He and his brother are also developing another lot of 15 apartments, dubbed Hanover Lofts, near Grand Canal Dock.
“We have a couple of things that we are looking to do north side in the next while,” he said. “Getting the hotel through will be the main thing and then we will see how it goes.”
He declined to comment on the specifics of the dispute with An Bord Pleanála as he did not want to prejudice the authority’s decision.
The brothers’ father, Peter Cosgrave, started his own property group with his brothers, Joseph and Michael, in 1979. The company grew to become one of the largest builders in Ireland.
In 2014 it sold a huge property portfolio to investment property firm Green REIT in a deal worth €375 million.
The portfolio included office buildings at George’s Quay and George’s Court in Dublin 2 and retail and commercial space in Westend Retail Park in Blanchardstown.
In September it announced one of its largest projects in recent years, a €60 million office building in Dublin’s International Financial Services Centre which is set to be constructed over 18 months.
Written by Paul O’Donoghue and posted on Fora.ie
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Not shocking anymore. Kind of half expect this sort of stuff now.
What is it with this man and “conflicts of interests” ?
Nothing to see here move along now !!
Ah lads , cronyism in ireland ? NEVER !!
Of course he denies a conflict of interest. When did you ever read, “Minister admits conflict of interest.”
O’Reilly would deny today is Friday. He cant even lay in bed straight at this stage.
From a guy who pushed two primary care sites in his own constituency up the list of potential sites…still waiting on the criteria you used Stroker!
Then what exactly is it then? Walks like a duck…etc
Welcome to Ireland,probably the most corrupt country in Europe
Hands up who is shocked or surprised by this. …….
Richie rodgers
We’ll get there stroke by stroke.
Reilly involved again no surprise there to be honest.
Shattergate mark2 ….Reilly on the inside track…….FG/Lab even more corrupt than FF, there is a scary reality…..Resign James you have your money made…..
How come the 20,000 commission was so low? The going rate for a report like this was 125,000 in 2011 and the Health Partnership is not a charity!
Women of Ireland, come together and let us al put a stop to this madness, I’d like to c a man in the full throws of labour, having to face a 2 hr car journey. On lovely pot-holed roads!!!
If he appointed someone from outside the area, the complaint would be that they didn’t understand the area.
If he appointed someone without the medical knowledge, the complaint would be that someone who didn’t understand medical provision was making the decisions
If he appoints someone from inside the area with the right medical background, the complaint is that there’s a conflict of interest.
I wish people would state who they think should be appointed, because almost every decision can have some line of attack.
Kinda sums up JR. Anyway after the reshuffle it will be someone else’s problem.
How many absolute effin’ outrages are we, as a nation, prepared to put up with? This Minister and his shady pals should be run out of the country, let alone sacked.
And deny being in denial
How come this commission was 6 times less than the going rate for the job? A bargain at 20,000! Such reports cost 125,000 in 2011.
The Journal got it wrong! The Health Partnership predates 2008! in March 2005 the company wrote to the Dept of Finance highlighting their role in private health care ventures in Ireland, UK, Portugal and Germany and suggesting tax incentives for private sector players in e.g. direct service provision, the supply of high tech equipment, patient and staff accommodation, primary care provision, nursing home care, etc. Even hospital traffic management got a look in. Hard to believe no one in the West/North-West hospital group knew of Mr Daly’s involvement with this high profile healthcare company.
Why would anyone be surprised with this ruling class carryon, and they wonder why people voted for the left
The main conflict of interest here is the fact tgat Noel Daly wrote to revenue in 2005 with what could be described as a bluepriting which would see private interests profiting from tge removal of public services. In that letter it mentions how the private sector could provide accomodation for people who due to clousure of public services would have to travek greater distances.
Over 6 years later tgis man is appointed chair of a hospital group. In the space of little over a year his company is given the task of reviewing maternitu in the same region. This report is said to recommend many clousures.
Given all this histiry I cannot see how this review can hold any authority. Or indeed how anyone in this countru could trust its recommendations.
In fact this review ihas been damaged beyond repair. Hiwever it should be made available to the public.
Luje Ming Flaagan spoje about concerns that gospital staff had about how tgis revuew was completed. Perhaps he should come back to this important debate in Irish healthcare before he leaves fir Europe.
Reilly people dont believe a word from your lying mouth!
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