Planning precedent report

Planning permission for development at 35 O'Connell Street Upper, Dublin 1, an existing 5 storey over ground floor mid-terraced building and 33 and 34 O'Connell Street Upper, an existing 3 storey over ground floor mid terraced building (the site is located within an Architectural Conservation Area). The development will consist of change of use from retail to bar/restaurant to ground floor of 35 O'Connell Street Upper, approx. 79sqm, the incorporation of the ground floor of no. 35 into the ground floor to no. 33-34 O'Connell Street Upper, removal of existing shopfronts at ground floor of these properties and replacement with new shopfronts incorporating timber pilasters and fascia, doorways, replacement of existing retractable overhead awnings, glazed shopfronts and new signage.

We, Findlater House Limited, intend to apply for planning permission for alterations to the existing/permitted at Holiday Inn Express (Formerly Known as Findlater House), 28-32 O’Connell Street Upper and Cathal Brugha Street / Findlater Place, Dublin 1. The proposed development will consist of alterations to the existing / permitted hotel building (as per the development permitted under Reg. Ref.: 3200/22 and ACP Ref.: 313981-22) and includes the following: • Alterations to the permitted basement level layout, involving reconfiguration of storage areas, staff facilities, plant and back of house area and the inclusion of a hotel gym and associated changing areas. • Alterations to the existing/permitted layout at ground floor level including the extension of floor area at the corner of O’Connell Street / Cathal Brugha Street. • Amalgamation of the existing/permitted café and restaurant units into the ground floor layout of the hotel providing the same food and beverage facilities, with associated reconfiguration of the lobby/lounge area including a new bar area and provision of a new hotel entrance from O’Connell Street. • Relocation of permitted cycle parking spaces to the courtyard area. • Reconfiguration of the permitted ESB sub-station location at ground floor level and internal alterations to the permitted stair core from basement to first floor level. • The development includes associated alterations to the existing/permitted facades on the southern, northern and western elevations. • No changes are proposed to the permitted development from second to sixth floor levels. • All associated development works.

Planning permission for development at Holiday Inn Express (Formerly known as Findlater House), 28-32 O'Connell Street Upper and Cathal Brugha Street / Findlater Place, Dublin 1. The application site is located on the junction of O'Connell Street Upper, Findlater Place and Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1. The subject site is located within the O'Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area. The proposed development will consist of alterations and provision of an extension (comprising 7 storeys over basement) to the existing / permitted 8 storey hotel building (an additional eighth storey, permitted under Reg. Ref.: 2084/18 & ABP Ref.: 301378-18, and a fire fighting shaft, permitted under Reg. Ref.: 2850/19, have yet to be implemented). The proposed development comprises of the following: • Alterations to the existing basement level involving the omission of the existing car parking spaces and access ramp to provide 9 no. hotel rooms, plant, bin store and ancillary back of house areas; • The demolition of c. 355 sq.m of existing hotel floorspace and external ancillary structures within the existing courtyard and alterations to the existing bar/restaurant at ground floor level, and provision of a proposed extension including an additional 9 no. hotel rooms at ground floor level. It is also proposed to provide 34 no. cycle spaces at ground floor level; • A proposed seven storey extension (located within the existing courtyard to the rear of the site) from basement to 6th floor level to provide for an additional 103 no. hotel rooms; • Alterations to existing hotel rooms and removal of 6 no. rooms from first to sixth floor level to provide access to stair/lift cores and the proposed extension; • The proposed development will increase the total number of existing / permitted hotel rooms from 214 no. to 311 no. rooms, i.e. a net increase of 97 no. hotel rooms, and will increase the overall gross floor area from c. 10,880 sq.m to c. 13,490 sq.m.; and • The proposed development also includes for the decommissioning of an existing ESB substation and provision of a new ESB sub-station at ground floor level, and all associated and ancillary works.

The development will consist of amendments to the permitted development under Reg. Ref.: 2084/18 relating to the construction of a part additional floor to the existing 7 storey building. The proposed development seeks permission for the construction of a fire-fighting shaft to the rear (north) of the building to serve existing floors ground to 6th floor (seventh storey) inclusive plus the additional floor permitted under Reg. Ref: 2084/18. The proposed fire-fighting shaft will include changes to the vehicular entrance, shutter and basement access ramp on Cathal Brugha Street to facilitate egress from the fire-fighting shaft to Cathal Brugha Street.

Permission to erect 6 no. telecommunications antennas enclosed within 3 no antenna shrouds together with all associated equipment upon the building rooftop.

The development will consist of an extension of the existing hotel building comprising an additional storey (852 sqm), which will be provided over the existing eight storey section. The development will also consist of the internal reconfiguration of the existing eight storey (including the removal of 1 no. hotel bedroom) to facilitate the extension of existing stairs to the ninth storey and replacement roof plant. The development will also consist of revised elevational treatment to the Findlater Place facade (including alterations to the central bay; construction of new balconies from third to eighth storeys; the removal and replacement of the entrance canopy; alterations to existing opes); removal of existing signage and its replacement and all associated development work above and below ground. The overall extension results in a total increase in floor area of 860 sqm approximately, resulting in a hotel building of 11,828 sqm total area (including basement of 1,498 sqm, with 332 no. bedrooms (a net increase of 28 no. hotel bedrooms). The overall extended building will range from five to nine storeys with roof plant over basement level.