Plans have been lodged for two hotels in Dublin’s city centre that would add 312 bedrooms to the stock of accommodation in the capital.
A scheme by ORHRE Camden Row Ltd has proposed a seven-storey 195-bedroom hotel at Camden Row in Dublin 8.
In a separate application, Dalata subsidiary DHG Dalton Ltd has lodged plans for a 10-storey 117-bedroom hotel extension for its Clayton hotel on Cardiff Lane in Dublin 2.
Concerning the Camden Row hotel scheme, planning consultant John Spain said a survey had identified 15 hotels and guesthouses, two hostels, three proposed hotels and guesthouses and one student accommodation scheme within 500m of the proposed site.
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He said this highlighted “the modest provision of tourist accommodation within the immediate surrounding area”.
In considering the quantum of hotels in the surrounding area, it was important to note the absence of hotels in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site, Mr Spain said.
The report states that “there are currently no hotels on Camden Row, with just three existing hotels on Camden Street to the east”.
Mr Spain argued that there was currently an underprovision of hotel development, both existing and proposed, in the southern part of Dublin 8 which the proposed development would assist in addressing while also providing greater variety and choice to the market in the area.
Mr Spain that the principle of hotel development at the site was acceptable – from a pre-planning application meeting with the council – subject to demonstrating that the proposal would not result in an overconcentration of hotel accommodation within the surrounding area.
He said that recent media coverage also noted the shortage of hotel rooms in Ireland arising from the allocation of existing hotels to asylum seekers.
Mr Spain said this had contributed further to the need for high-quality additional hotel accommodation to avoid further displacement of employment and address the deficit.
In the 59-page planning report, Mr Spain said the proposal would secure the redevelopment of an underutilised brownfield site and introduce a scheme of high-quality design “which is a high-quality addition to the urban context and neighbourhood”.
Mr Spain also said the proposed development would assist with the regeneration of the site and provide an impetus for the wider redevelopment of the site and the vibrancy of the area.
Decisions are due on the applications in July.
