More planning news in breif...

Hotel objectors' parking worries

A PROPOSAL by the Radisson SAS St Helen's Hotel in Booterstown to add banqueting facilities, a wellness centre and additional accommodation has been challenged by the management company of Merrion Woods which says 190 car-parking spaces are not enough. It says, with a new banqueting facility, the capacity of the hotel to cater for larger functions and host more events will improve. "In our view the reality is that with the introduction of the underground wellness centre the hotel does not have the capacity to add further parking spaces," which, it says, will result in more on-street parking in the area.

No to Rathmines apartments

DEVELOPER RAY Grehan has lost his appeal to An Bord Pleanála to demolish Rowan's Bakery at Williams Park, off Rathmines Road Lower, D6, and build a four-storey apartment block.

In his appeal, following a refusal of planning permission by Dublin City Council, Grehan argued that the public park opposite provides communal space and excellent transport links that justifies five parking spaces for 10 apartments. An Bord Pleanála cited the height, bulk, design and proximity to boundaries and inadequate open space and said the apartments would constitute overdevelopment.