Almost 700 objections have been lodged against plans to build a nine-storey hotel over and adjacent to the Cobblestone pub in Dublin’s Smithfield area.
On Friday, Dublin City Council confirmed that 688 third party submissions have been registered and the final figure will be higher.
Closing date for submissions was Thursday, but a number of submissions remained to formally registered by the City Council planning department.
Marron Estates Ltd is seeking to build a 114 bedroom hotel on the site at King Street at Smithfield, Dublin 7.
The scale of the opposition makes the Cobblestone plan the most contentious planning application in recent times for the capital and a Government heritage watchdog has now intervened in the row to say that it is not in favour of the development.
Submission
In a formal submission, the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Development Applications Unit (DAU) has told the Council that “it does not favour the development” for a number of heritage reasons outlined in a four-page submission, describing the plan to ‘overbuild’ the hotel on the Cobblestone as ‘undesirable’.
The DAU has told the Council that “whilst the repair and retention of the cultural use of the Cobblestone would be welcome due to its poor condition, the radical manner of over-building may be regarded as diminishing the significance of the place and the integrity of its setting as an acclaimed cultural venue in the city”.
The DAU further states that “the removal of part of the Cobblestone venue and its overall amalgamation and structural integration into a larger hotel use will likely detract from the intimacy and context of the historic structure as a traditional musical venue”.
The submission states: “Depending on the operation and management of the hotel this cultural use may or may not survive.”
The submission states there is concern that the scheme's design "would establish inappropriate planning precedent or approach for built heritage in the city”.
Objectors
Those to object to the scheme include founding member of The Stunning and The Walls, Steve Wall and moviemaker, Luke Brabazon.
Leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, Richard Boyd Barrett TD (People Before Profit Solidarity) and Ciaran Cuffe MEP (Green) have also outlined their opposition in submissions.
In his objection, Steve Wall contends: “The Cobblestone is unique. It’s one of the last few pubs in Dublin to hear traditional music and to experience Irish culture. Traditional music in a pub is exactly the sort of experience that most tourists coming to Ireland seek out. Not a hotel bar! The proposal to engulf it into a hotel will destroy it.”
Mr Wall said that the Cobblestone “has been an integral part of Smithfield and musicians travel to it from all over Dublin”.
He said: “It must be saved.”
'Iconic building'
In her objection, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald states that the Cobblestone “is an iconic building” and that the current proposal “will be destructive as it is grossly overdeveloped in terms of height and scale”.
The Dublin Central TD states that the Cobblestone is “a cultural hub” and “to lose such culture from the city would be a huge loss to the local community and visitors to Dublin”.
However, a planning report lodged by McCutcheon Halley on behalf of the applicants state that the scheme has been designed to respond sensitively to the existing protected structures and will incorporate and adapt these buildings for new use, therefore creating new modern elements which respect the site’s heritage.
McCutcheon Halley state that the scheme “will create a vibrant and attractive landmark building”.
The consultants state that the development of the hotel along with the addition of a new restaurant and retention of the Cobblestone pub “will contribute to the growth of Dublin as a global city of scale”.
A decision is due later this month.
