Sir, – The decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the development of a hotel at the Merchant's Arch in the face of public opposition and against its own inspector's recommendation is another egregious example of "hasten now to regret later" thinking that is an unfortunate mark of so many developments within Dublin city ("Criticism of plan for 'overscaled' development on Merchant's Arch Lane", News, October 7th).
The wholesale emphasis upon building hotels to accommodate tourists has angered the many people who are increasingly unable to secure accommodation, either temporary or permanent, within the city.
The capacity to build hotels makes the oft-expressed concerns regarding a shortage of construction material and workers sound hollow. The unthinking desire to bring even greater numbers of visitors into the city is making it increasingly unlivable for its citizens.
The Merchant’s Arch development was permitted despite the fact that “none of the architectural or planning jargon that swirls around this scheme can justify it”.
Quite apart from this observation and the anger and upset already caused, is it unreasonable for the public to expect that even the most blinkered of planners should recognise that the partial destruction and defacement of an historic landmark, which is an element of what attracts visitors to the city, in order to accommodate those same visitors, is absurd? Yours, etc,
JOSEPH O’GORMAN,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Has the planning authority that has given permission for the demolition of the idiosyncratic shops of Merchant’s Arch in Dublin city considered that defacing tourist attractions in order to build tourist accommodation might not be a good idea? – Yours, etc,
ERICA DEVINE,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.