Dublin City Council has granted planning permission to US billionaire John Malone's MHL Hotel Collection for a new 40 bedroom hotel on Dublin's Drury Street and William Street South, Dublin 2.
The hotel scheme is to lie adjacent to MHL Collection's four star Brooks Hotel and the planning permission also extends to an additional five bedrooms at the Brooks Hotel to bring the total number of rooms at that hotel to 103 bedrooms.
The Council granted planning permission for the scheme at 59/62 Drury Street, Dublin 2, and 34-35 William Street South, after revised drawings were lodged by the applicant Drury Leisure Investments Ltd.
The Council stated that having regard to the nature and scale of the proposed development, the proposal would not have an adverse impact on the surrounding area.
Aidan Crowe of Banta Restaurants lodged a letter in support of the application.
Mr Crowe operates the Pink Restaurant which is located at the site under planning consideration.
"The scheme will revitalise the underutilised site and provide much-needed additional hotel accommodation, contributing positively to the local economy within the south city centre," he said.
In a hotel concentration report by McGill Planning lodged with the application, it stated that 8,627 additional hotel bed-spaces will be required by 2030 for Dublin - or an average of 1,725 per annum.
Against that background of the continuing demand for new hotels, two prominent businessmen in the hospitality sector, Eamon Waters and Tom Cleary, have made separate bids to re-ignite previously refused hotel plans for Dublin city centre.
Eamon Waters, through his Grafton Residence UC firm, has lodged plans to secure planning permission for an eight storey hotel close to St Stephen's Green.
Earlier this year, An Coimisiún Pleanála refused planning to Mr Waters's Grafton Residence ULC for a new 61-bedroom hotel for a site known as Textile House on Johnson's Place and Clarendon Market opposite the Grafton Hotel in Dublin.
Now, Grafton Residence UC has lodged plans for a 73 bedroom hotel on the same site while the owner of the Temple Bar group, Tom Cleary, is seeking planning through his Chambers Properties Ltd firm to convert a five storey mixed use building at Dame Street and Eustace Street, Temple Bar into a 43 bedroom hotel.
The scheme was also refused planning last year by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
In a planning report lodged by Grafton Residence UC, McGill Planning UC state that the proposed hotel accommodation will be affiliated with The Grafton Hotel opposite the proposed building.
It states that the proposal "is to improve an area that is currently undergoing rejuvenation" and points out that Chatham Street has been significantly altered and becoming a more area for restaurants, cafes, and shops.
"This proposed development will build on this and consolidate the area as a destination for residents and tourists alike," the report states.
McGill Planning state: "The proposed scheme seeks to redevelop a centrally located and highly accessible site that is currently underused".
It adds that "the proposal will remove an under performing, low density building on an urban corner and replace them with a modern building reflecting the growth of Dublin City in recent times while also respecting the notable protected structures in the immediate area".
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
