Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for Harry Crosbie’s planned four-star 35 bedroom hotel and “Baby Vicar” venue at Hanover Quay in Dublin 2.
When lodging the plans earlier this year, Mr Crosbie said the 200 seater entertainment venue for Dublin’s docklands “will bring light and life to a dark place”.
The hotel and venue was to be housed in a two storey glass box as part of an innovative design by PRC Architecture & Planning. The two level glass cube was to “over sail” the protected structure at 9 Hanover Quay.
The building has been the home of Vicar Street owners Harry and Rita Crosbie for the last 30 years and the planning application involved converting it to a hospitality and entertainment mixed use.
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However, the Council has refused planning permission to Mr Crosbie’s Misery Hill Entertainment Ltd on a number of grounds, and following a number of local objections.
The council stated that due to its height, scale, materials, form and historic fabric removal, the proposed development would seriously injure the special architectural character and setting of the Protected Structure and the Conservation Area.
It said the construction of a two storey extension above the existing historic trusses “is overbearing and does not relate sensitively to the architectural detail, form and character of the original structure, and would conceal its historic form”.
“The proposal is not compatible with the future long term conservation of this historic building and would create an undesirable precedent”.
The decision also said that the construction of a new basement beneath the protected structure, in close proximity to the edge of the historic quay walls and the Grand Canal Dock body of water, could seriously injure the integrity of the quay and dock structures.
The proposed works were also deemed to contravene the Dublin City Council Development Plan and “would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments, [and] would devalue property in the vicinity”.
The council was also concerned about substantial works to the public road to facilitate the development, including the excessive removal of parking.
“The reduced supply of on street parking would detract from the convenience of road users, would be contrary to the stated policy and would set an undesirable precedent for other similar developments in the area”.
Asked to comment, Mr Crosbie said “people like me don’t give up” and that he intends to examine the grounds for refusal and to lodge revised plans taking into account the reasons.
He said that the planning refusal “is a pity as the area is dying because the large office blocks are sucking the life off the streets here and this little venue would have brought light and energy to the area.”
Mr Crosbie spearheaded the renewal of the docklands area and was behind what is now the 3Arena and the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, while he was also a partner in delivering the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD).
He is currently advancing plans for a 185 bedroom Rock and Roll hotel for Vicar Street.
