Planning precedent report

PROTECTED STRUCTURE: Planning permission for the retention of two external banners for a further temporary period up to 31st December 2023 at the House of Lords entrance portico (Westmoreland Street entrance), Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin, D02 VR66 (Bank of Ireland is a Protected Structure). The banners are to identify the exhibition "Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again" in the public Cultural and Heritage Centre in the Bank of Ireland and were previously granted temporary permission in accordance with Dublin City Council planning Reg. Ref. 3432/18. The banners measure 4m high and 2m wide and are suspended between two pairs of columns at the portico, facing toward College Street. The banners are positioned approximately 5.25m clear above ground level and supported off stainless steel (with neoprane protective cushioning) non-invasive fixings on the stone columns at top and bottom.

PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The development will consist of general upgrade and repair work to the building as follows: 1. Internal fire upgrade works to include fire stopping, upgrading doors and provision of additional internal doors, 2. Enlarge existing window on north elevation facing into rear courtyard to form new fire escape door, 3. Repair of external fabric to include roofs, repointing work, repair & some replacement of windows and roof lights, 4. Revised layouts and alterations to some internal spaces at ground and first floor levels, to include mechanical ventilation, 5. Additional toilets at ground and second floor levels, 6. Two new nameplates and letter boxes to front entrance gates, 7. Services upgrade work to include installation of new mechanical plant area of 70m2 to rear courtyard, solar PV panels to flat roofs, total area 113m2, mechanical ventilation and associated ductwork, rewiring, replacement of redundant fittings, emergency lighting and fire alarm and associated builder's work, 8. Remove existing stone infill and create new timber entrance door at Foster Place portico, 9. New finishing kitchen at ground floor level, 10. Upgrade existing lift off East Hall to provide access from ground floor to basement, 11. Other minor reordering works, 12. Redecoration. The building is a Protected Structure.

The proposed development will include upgrade and refurbishment works to existing building at 1-3 Westmoreland Street (approximately 1080 sq.m) and its basement and provide a new extension at roof level to provide hotel accommodation and associated ancillary facilities. The development will consist of: Internal and external modifications, reconfiguration, refurbishment and change of use of no. 1-3 Westmoreland Street and its vacant floors (to be extended) from retail/office to provide hotel facilities including a reception area, kitchen, storage, bedrooms, ensuites, circulation space and ancillary facilities. External works include the upgrading of the facades addressing Westmoreland Street and College Green - provision of a new facade frontage, new window and doorway configurations at ground floor level of the eastern facade and provision of a new facade frontage to the southern facade facing College Green. An extension at roof level to the same footprint of the lower building levels to provide storage, bedrooms, en-suites, circulation space and ancillary facilities. All of the above, resulting in the provision of a 40 no. bedroomed hotel building and all associated ancillary facilities as follows: Ground floor level - hotel reception/lobby/check-in area, disabled WC, office areas, lifts, stairwells and circulation areas. First to Fifth storey - provision of general bedroom accommodation, ensuites, lifts, associated ancillary areas and circulation areas. Basement level - plant area, toilet facilities, kitchen, storage areas, ESB switchroom and comms room, lift and circulation areas (with an overall basement area of approximately 145sq.m) The development will also comprise 2 no. signage zones on Westmoreland Street approximately 0.25sq.m and approximately 0.24sq.m and 2 no. projecting signs off the ground floor facade approximately 0.3sq.m each. Drainage works and all associated site development and ancillary works.

PROTECTED STRUCTURE for development including amendments to previously permitted alterations (Dublin City Council Reg. Ref. 3270/22 at this c. 0.16 ha site at Temple Bar Inn and Tesco Metro, Nos. 40-47 Fleet Street and Parliament row, Dublin 2, D02 NX25, and the party wall to No. 39 Fleet Street, D02 EK07/No. 7 Westmoreland Street, D02 XF76 (Protected Structure). (The extant planning permission (Reg. Ref. 3270/22) which is partially implemented, permits inter alia the relocation of the existing electrical substation and switchroom from existing basement level to the rear service yard and subsequent change of use of the substation area to hotel use (43 sq m), provision of a new entrance door and glazed screen, provision of a new internal stairs to basement level directly from Fleet Street, and all associated works.) The development will consist of the following demolition: part of the Basement Level; the single storey structure to the rear of the Ground Floor Level; part of the First Floor Level to the front to create a double height main entrance; the rear return from First to Third Floor Levels; and the Fourth Floor Level. Total demolition Gross Floor Area 1,319 sq m. The development will consist of the construction of new hotel floor area comprising: rear extensions to Basement Level; rear extensions of the Ground to Third Floor Levels; an extended replacement Fourth Floor Level; new Fifth Floor Level; new set back Sixth Floor Level with a separate roof top access to the east and a roof top terrace bar to the north and west incorporating canopy structure and PV panels above; enclosed plant room at roof level set back from all facades with screened roof plant above (total new Gross Floor Area 5352 sqm); and the provision of opes to No. 39 Fleet Street/No. 7 Westmoreland Street at Basement, Ground, and Fourth Floor Levels. The development also includes the change of use of part of the Ground Floor Level retail unit to hotel use (848 sq m). The development will result in an increased number of hotel bedrooms by 111 No. (from 101 No. to 212 No. proposed), with associated hotel facilities (including licenced public bar/restaurant/hotel lounge at Basement Level (633 sqm) and licenced public bar/ restaurant at Ground Floor Level (363 sq m), external licenced public bar at Roof Level (375 sq m), reception and seating areas, storage, administration and staff facilities, other hotel-related back-of-house areas, enclosed service yard, plant (including substation and switchroom), waste storage and cycle parking) and an own-door Ground Floor Level retail unit (177 sq m). The proposed development also includes: new facades, recessed at the front at Ground Floor Level; alterations to internal layouts; new entrance doors to Parliament Row, Fleet Street and the rear; alterations to services (mechanical and electrical, piped services); PV panels; plant and all associated site development and excavation works above and below ground. The proposed development will result in a building with a total gross floor area that increases by 4,264 sqm (from 4,634 sq m, including the surface level substation, to 8,898 sq m proposed) resulting in a seven storey building (with setbacks) excluding enclosed roof plant room above, all over Basement Level.

Construction of a new electrical substation and switch room to the rear of the site, relocation of the existing electrical sub station and switch room (43m2) from existing basement level to the new location at the rear of the site, a change of use of the existing substation area to hotel use, provision of a new entrance door and glazed screen, provision of a new internal stairs to basement level directly from Fleet Street, repositioning of existing signage and all associated site works.

The development will consist of: the change of use of the existing building from retail at ground floor and basement and offices overhead to a 38 bedroom hotel with the addition of a new extension floor at attic level, for hotel use. The development will include, Basement- kitchen, storage and other services, Ground floor level hotel reception / check-in area, bar/café, disabled WC, lifts, stairwells and circulation areas; First to Fifth storey - provision of general bedroom accommodation with en-suites, lifts, associated ancillary areas and circulation areas; a new extension at roof level to a smaller footprint than the lower building levels to provide storage, bedrooms with en-suites, and ancillary facilities. One of the two existing retail units at street level will remain unaltered. The ground floor elevation will be upgraded and there will be no changes to the elevations of the existing upper floors. The new attic level will be set back from the existing elevations.