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THE OWNER OF a so-called ‘superpub’ that fought Dublin council and won is battling city planners once again to win approval for its latest expansion.
Last May, Gambetta Limited – a firm owned by the couple that runs Dublin’s Nurse On Call agency – was granted permission by the national planning board to build a licensed restaurant, cafe and bar development at 16 Harcourt Street, which the council had labelled a “superpub” in a rejection that was ultimately overturned.
An Bord Pleanála overruled both the council and its own inspector at the time when it said the use of the premises as a bar, restaurant and cafe was suitable and would fit in with the nature of other commercial businesses in the area.
Despite approving the development, the national planning authority attached stringent conditions to the project at the time.
For example, the venue was prohibited from being used as a nightclub, and the bar and restaurant was only allowed operate during the hours of 8am and 11pm.
Having already pursued its original application through the full planning process, Gambetta submitted a fresh proposal in December of last year to demolish several nearby buildings on Montague Street to accommodate a five-storey restaurant/cafe bar, pizzeria, coffee shop and hostel. It also sought to complete various renovation works at 16 Harcourt Street.
In its application, the company said the development would “increase commercial density on an under-utilised site within a built-up area” and said it believed the project would “upgrade Montague Street and Montague Lane which is in need of being regenerated”.
Refusal
However those plans were knocked down in recent weeks when Dublin City Council refused to grant permission for the project.
It rejected Gambetta’s proposal for the five-storey block on several grounds, including concerns that it would “lead to an over-concentration of licensed premises in this area of the city”, also home to the famous Copper Face Jack’s nightclub, which was recently put up for sale with an asking price of €40 million.
“The proposal would result in an undesirable precedent for further such development, would depreciate the value of property in the vicinity and, as such, would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” the council stated in its decision.
The city authority also expressed concern over the extent the proposed demolition works would have on unprotected buildings in the area.
Gambetta has since appealed Dublin council’s refusal to An Bord Pleanála and a decision to due to be made on the matter by 18 July.
Two parties objected to the proposal at local level: Green Party councillor Ciarán Cuffe and the Irish Georgian Society.
Cuffe claimed in his observation that the development was “of an exceedingly mediocre standard” and blasted the build as a “cheap, ill-considered and crass proposal”.
“More bars and hostels catering for inebriated short-break tourists are the antithesis of what Dublin city needs at this juncture.”
Meanwhile the Georgian Society in a five-page objection letter said that the development would “result in a profound loss of architectural heritage and significant negative impacts on the architectural heritage value of neighbouring protected structures”.
The latest financial results for Gambetta Limited show that it had an accumulated profit of €198,736 at the end of 2017 and fixed assets – namely investment properties – worth €2.9 million.
Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie
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Would be disgraceful if the council lets them knock down those Georgian buildings.
@Anne: they don’t propose to knock down any Georgian buildings
@Hugh McCann: there is a Georgian building at no. 16 and from the artist’s impression looks like that wont be there anymore…
@Anne: the article references refurbishment works only at 16 Harcourt St and there is not a word about it being demolished but don’t let that detail get in the way of your outrage!
@Anne: you’re wrong there Anne. The artist impression is at the junction of Montague street Montague lane (where the original coach houses were for the Georgian houses, some still institute). If you look closely the Georgian building is the the left where the roof is still visible.
@Paul Murphy: agreed, if you look at Google Street view of Montegue St. just behind 16 Harcourt Street it’s all modern small 2 story buildings, far from Georgian architecture
@Paul Murphy: Haha Paul I’d hardly call one sentence outrage + exclamation mark. Chill. :)
@Anne: Now that you see the building remains, what do you think of it?
Well that’s a total eyesore, good God what was the architect thinking?
@emer caffrey:
In YOUR opinion.
If they are talking tourists, that “Pub” looks nothing like a pub. Also, a hostel above a bar is asking for chaos. Calling it a “Superpub” in a planning proposal was not a brilliant idea either. What crèche designed and named it?
@Rathminder: I think it was the conncil…….
“which the council had labelled a “superpub” in a rejection that was ultimately overturned….”
@Dan:
Well then, at least he was right about it being a creche that named it….
Why is town arquitecture not protected? Why is there not regulation for new buildings to blend with the surrounding arquitecture? That building style is ok for a sunny place, with the reflection of light on walls and cristal, in here they end up being dirty, depressive looking walls on a gray sky. It’s not only about tourists, locals have the right to enjoy their surroundings also.
@Rosa Lopez:
And that should supercede the rights of the owners? The people who paid for the property….
@Patrick Nolan: of course it should. The people buy the property under that condition, they have the choice to not buying if they are not happy with it, someone else will do.
@Rosa Lopez:
So if you own a property and a preservation order is put on it which automatically means it is devalued should the owner be compensated?
@Patrick Nolan: what make you think the property will be devalued? I think is the opposite way, destroying the overall Georgian style of the area will devalue the other properties and in the long run if this is not stopped it will damage the tourist business. People don’t go to a city to drink overpriced beer and pizza unless The Coliseum is nearby.
If they are not happy, the can always sell the property and get their invested money back.
@Rosa Lopez: *eat pizza
@Rosa Lopez: I think if you look at cases where buildings have been placed under a preservation order, either with or without the owners consent, the market value has dropped and upkeep costs increased
@Vocal Outrage: that’s wrong but even if it wasn’t, if you can’t keep a building in an area that add historical, arquitectural and heritage value to a city, and therefore attract quality tourism, you better don’t buy it in the first place. or sell it if you can’t afford to keep it as it was beautifully built 2 centuries ago.
@Rosa Lopez:
I suggest you talk to a builder Rosa.
If you own a listed structure in Georgian Dublin it would still have value because of it’s location but refurbishment can cost more than the building is worth finished.
That is the reason they are often just left there in the hope the will become such an eyesore they are allowed to knock them.
If the owners haven’t the patience to do that they employ Maguire and Patterson to sort it.
Outside of Dublin they are virtually worthless.
@Patrick Nolan: Yes it should as the council is responsible for the entire city and how it looks
@Patrick Nolan: and that’s why the public should be pressing for legislation, to prevent precisely that.
It is understandable owners want to make as much money as they can from their assets, but their assets in this case are of public interest and unfortunately for them those houses have an arquitectural heritage value that is invaluable and irreplaceable. I’m sure if they put those buildings in need of refurbishment on sale there will be enough buyers willing to pay for refurnish and preserve them.
Although as it is now fortunately for them it seems that nationals don’t put too much value to their own heritage, so we will have no other choice than watch centuries old beautiful buildings being replaced by eyesore cardboard boxes.
As long as they leave Gerry’s cafe alone.
The Clown Cuffe and DCC complain about this proposal but do nothing about the TWO MASSIVE HOLES in the streets cape of O’Connell st opposite The Gresham hotel. Holes that have been there for 25+ years!! We need rid of these fools.
@Fred Coloe: The plans are there the Celtics Tigers death meant it was not built. It is a massive development. Takes in the entire part of the street Henry St Moore St and Parnell Square not just the two buildings the demolished. That was going to be the start of the development
Disgusting cardboard box will be making in the middle of Georgian area.
Signage is a poor name for any business.
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