Developer Johnny Ronan's Tanat Ltd firm has appealed Dublin City Council's decision to deny permission to put offices in place of the hotel that is planned for the tower building that Ronan is developing on Dublin's Tara Street.
Permission was sought last month to put offices in place of the building's proposed hotel space due to the adverse impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the hotel sector. However, Dublin City Council said that replacing the building's proposed hotel with offices would "detrimentally impact on the dynamic mix of uses within the permitted [Tara Street] scheme and the local area, and would negatively impact on the vitality of the inner city location, particularly outside office hours".
As reported by The Irish Independent, a 41-page Tanat Ltd appeal about the council's decision has now been submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
Appeal Statements
JLL vice-president of hotels and hospitality Daniel O'Connor stated in the appeal that there is no likelihood of a hotel tenant giving Tanat a commercially viable proposal at present due to the adverse impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is currently having on the tourism industry in Dublin.
Meanwhile, planning consultant for Tanat John Spain told An Bord Pleanála that "due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding international travel and tourism to the city, the viability of a hotel use as part of this development cannot attract investment in order to deliver upon the development of this brown-field site".
Spain added that the office space that has been proposed to replace the planned hotel space is highly suitable and in accordance with the zoning objectives for the location.
A decision on the appeal is due to be delivered in March of 2021.
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