Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for a seven-storey guest house planned for Lower Baggot Street.
In May the Corcoran family lodged plans for a 30-bedroom guest house at 73 Lower Baggot Street that would include the change of use of existing offices to hotel and the addition of a seven-storey block.
The family operate the Perryville House in Kinsale, a member of Ireland’s Blue Book, and the plan was to establish a sister business on the Lower Baggot Street site. A planning report lodged with the application stated that members of the Corcoran family had moved to Dublin to facilitate this.
However, council planners have dealt their plans a major blow after concluding that the Kilcolman Partnership scheme would detract from the setting, character and appearance of the adjacent protected structure and conservation area, and would seriously injure the area’s amenities.
In the refusal of planning permission, the council also found the proposed development would create an undesirable precedent for similar developments and would likely devalue property in the vicinity.
The council also refused planning after concluding that the proposed change of use to hotel was contrary to the Dublin City Development Plan which seeks to promote a mixed-use land policy in the city centre, including the provision of high-quality, sustainable residential development.
The council concluded that the proposed change of use was not in accordance with development plan policy and did not represent the best use of this city centre site.
Eleven third-party submissions were lodged including one by barrister Mark Harty SC and his wife, Karyn, who submitted a comprehensive objection to the scheme.
In the objection, the Hartys bristled at a suggestion that their Lower Baggot Street property might be described as a trophy home, pointing out that theirs is a family home “and one that is most cherished” with their four young children, two dogs and one cat.
“Aside from the nuisance of developers who appear determined to seek to impose inappropriate developments in the area, we can honestly state that we can think of no better place to have a family home,” the Hartys said.
An Taisce also called on the council to refuse planning permission.
Dublin planning officer with An Taisce, Kevin Duff, urged the council to refuse permission on account of its inappropriate design and the considerable sensitivity and heritage value of the subject corner site.
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