Deatils of Cobblestone planning application appeal
Tue, Jan 11, 2022
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Marron Estates has appealed Dublin City Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a hotel on the Cobblestone site. Details of the appeal and a public meeting to discuss submitting an observation on the appeal can be found below.
What has happened so far?
On 1st Oct 2021 Marron Estates made a planning application for a hotel on a site at 77-80 King Street North (no. 77 being The Cobblestone pub). On the 25th November 2021 Dublin City Council refused permission for the development. This refusal was based on four grounds:
- Protection of architectural heritage - the nine-storey development would be overbearing and significantly out of scale and character with the prevailing architectural context (particularly the protected structures)
- Inappropriate design - abrupt transition in scale and height from the prevailing three and four-storey streetscape
- Amenities of adjoining residents - a loss of daylight and sunlight and an overbearing visual impact for adjoining residents
- Culture - the loss of the Backroom area would be contrary to development plan provisions in respect of culture in the city
On the 21st Dec 2021 Marron Estates appealed Dublin City Council’s decision to An Bord Pleanála. The appeal files can be found below.
What is the substance of the appeal?
Marron Estates have suggested revising the application with the following changes (sections in italics are from the appeal):
- “Removal of all proposed structure from 81 King Street North” In the original application this area (to the rear of 81 and the area behind the current garage arch) would have been part of the hotel. As proposed this section of the site will not now be developed.
- “Retention of the entire original Cobblestones Pub, over all floors (Basement, Ground, First and Second floors).” The original application had hotel rooms in the first and second floor of the Cobblestone building.
- “Retention of the existing brick facades at 78 and 79 King Street North." The original application had planned to demolish these facades (neither 78 or 79 are protected structures)
- “Relocation of the existing Back Room to a purpose-built performing space, contained within the existing retained historic yard to the rear of the site." The original application removed the Back Room space.
- “Omission of any proposed structure immediately above the existing Cobblestones Pub." Note that only the proposed hotel rooms directly above the Cobblestone footprint are being romoved - the hotel will surround the Cobblestone building on its eastern and northern sides.
- “Reduction in the overall height of the building from 9 storeys to 7 storeys.”
The applicant feels that these changes will address the four grounds relied upon by Dublin City Council when refusing permission.
While no visuals have been provided in the appeal the below is a rough approximation of the sections that are being removed:
What happens next?
An Bord Pleanála and Dublin City Council will review the appeal. An An Bord Pleanála inspector will produce a report with a recommendation for the An Bord Pleanála board. The board has the final say - it can agree with the inspector’s report or make another finding.
Before the deadline of any person can make an observation on the appeal. You do not need to have made an observation on the original planning application. Observations can be submitted online and cost €50. Neasa will be making an observation and is happy to try to incorporate any observations sent to her.
An Bord Pleanála has confirmed the deadline for appeal as 17:30 on 26th January 2022. This would include the extra nine days for submissions made over Christmas. Dublin Is Dying however has an email confirmation from An Bord Pleanála saying the deadline is the 25th January.
Case is due to be decided by 4th May 2022 (although these dates are not guaranteed).
Public meetings
Dublin Is Dying is organising a meeting Wednesday 12th at 7pm - details here.
Neasa is holding a meeting on Wednesday the 19th at 8pm to discuss the appeal, specifically focusing on any observations people might have with a view to filing an observation with An Bord Pleanála. You can register for an invite to that meeting here.
Please get in touch on neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie or (01) 618 3172 if there are any queries in relation to this matter.
Our observation
Our observation can be found here. If you would like to be listed as a co-signatory of this observation you can do so by filling out this form: https://forms.office.com/r/Qxw4Yca81i
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