There is currently a shortage of hotel bed spaces in Dublin and in the area where Harry Crosbie is planning to construct a four-star, 182-bedroom Vicar Street “rock and room” concept hotel, according to planning consultant William Doran.
Mr Doran lodged a report with Dublin City Council on behalf of Mr Crosbie’s Vicar Street Hotel Ltd.
In June, the city council stalled Mr Crosbie’s eight-storey hotel plan for the Liberties after it received 40 objections including one from a senior Augustinian priest, Fr Paddy O’Reilly, Prior at John’s Lane Church, Dublin 8.
In his objection, Fr O’Reilly told the city council that “the Liberties area is being saturated with hotel and student accommodation developments which is displacing families and this long established proud community is under siege”.
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In seeking further information on the scheme, the council pointed out that the City Development Plan policy seeks to avoid an over-concentration of hotels in certain areas of the city and requested Mr Crosbie’s firm to submit a report outlining all existing and planned hotel developments within a distance of one kilometre.
Now, in response to the council’s request, Mr Doran said that “it is plain that there is no hotel or apart-hotel for over one kilometre to the west of the proposed hotel” but that there is one to the south of the hotel site.
Mr Doran provided a list which shows that there are 21 existing hotels and apart-hotels within one kilometre of the proposed hotel site and these include hotels in the Temple Bar area.
Mr Doran that the site would never become available for residential use and, also, the principle of a hotel on the site is accepted under the current city development plan.
Mr Doran pointed out that planning permission had been granted three times previously for a hotel on the site in 2008, 2019 and 2023.
He said that two previous permissions to 2023 didn’t proceed due to the “world economic collapse” and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Doran told the council the proposed hotel would, as part of its concept provide “rock and room” accommodation where a patron can book both a room and tickets for the Vicar Street venue.
Mr Doran said that “the proposed hotel will enhance the existing evening and night time economy and will introduce footfall throughout the day improving the economic activity in the area”.
Outlining the potential demand for hotel spaces at the Vicar Street Mr Doran said that the 1,000 seat capacity Vicar Street venue has 75 shows booked between August 21st and December 13th.
“The venue is in high demand from national and international artists,” he said.
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