Refurbishment work at the Ormond Hotel of Dublin has been postponed pending a High Court hearing of applications by Village Magazine publisher Michael Smith and Bagots Hutton Restaurant which require the hotel's owners, Monteco Holdings, to cease the venue's redevelopment until such time that it complies with certain conditions of its planning approval.
In a statement issued to The Irish Independent, Gareth Lim, CEO of Monteco parent company the Ormond Group, said, "The planning process in Ireland is a rigorous and detailed process that ensures the interests of the local community are taken into account and protected.
"We've been engaging with various groups and Dublin City Council to ensure that their thoughts are heard and incorporated. This pause will enable us to do that.
"We have been fortunate that nearly all the groups and people we have met have seen the development of this prominent site with Joycean heritage, which has been derelict since 2006, as a positive one."
Concerns
Smith has expressed concern that the hotel's redevelopment could render his No. 5 Ormonde Quay residence uninhabitable, and also claims that constructions works have caused damage to his No. 6 Ormonde Quay property.
Meanwhile, Bagots Hutton Restaurant's concerns are related to various site incidents that have allegedly caused problems for the premises such as a water leak, structural damage, noise pollution and the spread of dust.
Optimistic About Resolution
However, Lim remains optimistic that the issues can be resolved amiably. He told The Irish Independent, "We're looking forward to resolving this matter as the hotel will employ 200-250 people during construction and employ 90 people in the city when operational.
"The common areas of the hotel are being designed to be welcoming to the local community and we hope that the neighbourhood will view the hotel as a place they can use as their own.
"Local programming will also be a core part of the development and we intend to use the hotel as a means to celebrate local culture and arts."
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
