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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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There’s no right to light in Irish planning law. So good luck with that!!
Ancient order of lights rings a bell but I think that relates to prisoners being allowed daylight in their cell!
A prisoner in his own home…..
He doesn’t live there.
In his own home….
Possibly a gold digger wishing to be paid off.
Probably lived there all his life john this us and them attitude is vulgar !
If you bothered to read the article lar it says he lives in slane. And if it’s the house I’m thinking of its lying empty. Dublin needs to build up and 7 stories isn’t high.
Sorry lads non resident, landlord
That’s some building if its gonna impact the light in his permanent residence all the way out in Meath
He has a property in Hendrick street
@Ashling Fenton: Feels like money would solve this ‘problem’ as the property looks like its subdivided into bedsits. And it has no backgarden at all.
“Hotel that could stretch up to seven storeys” Well its hardly the Shard is it. You’d stretch seven storeys yourself before getting out of bed in the morning. The fact that it has already been scaled down means it’ll probably be brought down again to 4-5 storeys and then be allowed. Such a waste.
Ah come on now, it has to show “appropriate sensitivity” to the nearby house. An Taisce is only looking out for our best interests of course
“One of Dublins most desirable locations”… wha….t?
Has anybody googled 12, Hendrick St., on Google Maps Street View ? If you haven’t, do it. And you will see what An Taisce regards as worthy of protection. You might also notice that this protected building is let out in flats ( or was in 2014 when the street view was recorded ). Unless some very, very important event took place here, then is no reason why this should be protected. And I cannot find any reference to any historic event taking place. And would you look at what is on both sides of the dump. The kip should be included in the plans for the hotel not protected.
@Ig Clarke: I know why it’s protected. Apparently the whole street is spooky and haunted. Seriously ! Well, seriously that it’s supposed to haunted. Don’t if An Taisce took this into consideration.
If its not at least thirty stories then it should not be given planing permission in the first place.
This sort of nonsenes has to stop. It should not be possible to appeal to ABP for any reason you like. Your reasons should first be screened, and if it’s on a list of silly reason then your objection is thrown out.
I see a 15 storey building is being held up in Limerick because a fella in an apartment block nearby objected about his light and “visual amenities”. The ridiculous thing is he is probably in a 6 or 7 storey apartment block, and thus blocking someone elses light and “visual amenities” down below!
.
This is where planning laws in this country are so ridiculous, its time to de-list the house and move on with developing 21st century Ireland.
@Chris Kirk: Yes its ridiculous that we protect buildings with architectural or historic interest….moronic comment even by your standards Chris
The council weren’t too concerned with historical Ireland when they built that monstrosity on Wood Quay.
@Tony Tee:
It’s sooooo byooo-teeee-ful
https://goo.gl/maps/jwevgCbNxQR2
It’s uninteresting and pretty much on it’s own (the rest of the terrace seems to be long since turned into unimaginative residential dwellings.
CPO it and incorporate the facade into the hotel.
There’s always one…. reminds me of the bloke from Castleknock that stopped the Croker gigs
Surely you mean Parnell St?
Guess how many protected buildings there in the Dublin City Council area ? 8,691. Yep .
Protecting structures is important. Simply being old shouldn’t be the only criterion that needs to be fulfilled.
@Awkward Seal: It’d be interesting to see how spread out these locations are on a map. I wouldn’t be surprised if buildings are strategically kept protected based on location just so that all surrounding areas have to remain low-rise. Smithfield would be a decent location for at least mid-rise development, but because of this one protected bedsit owned by someone who actually lives in Meath large, progressive developments are potentially being shot down.
They would site it in the middle of O’connell St if they got away with it at €170 a night for a kip.
Were I live the properties opposite me comprises of 5, 25 story tower blocks our property is a converted 3 storry Victoria, they do impose a little but not the way people go we get the light and sun. Once design and built well.
He is just looking his slice of the brown envelope is all
There is no right to light.
@Buster VL: There is a right to “Ancient Light”.
Smithfield is pretty hip these days nall
Permanent stink of horseshi£ around that place .Great view of horses arses on the weekends.
Nothing that a brown envelope would not solve. If you are going to build a hotel at least build it 25 stories high and give the punters a view over Dublin.
Wow. That kip is an eyesore. No doubt if they offered to buy his house and demolish it, he’d be more than happy to take the cash and forget the architectural merit of that dump! The likes of this is one of the key reasons accommodation in Dublin is extortionate!
have your say