Royal Marine Hotel to extend and update

Plans to extend and refurbish the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire have been approved by An Bord Pleanála, in spite of objections from An Taisce.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council approved plans by property developer William Neville and Sons to increase the number of bedrooms in the hotel from 108 to 237 and to add two restaurants, four function rooms, three ground level retail units and a leisure centre including a swimming pool.

Under Mr Neville's plan to refurbish the Royal Marine, the hotel will double its number of bedrooms and will rise to seven stories. This decision, however, was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by a number of groups including An Taisce and residents of George's Street.

In their appeal against the development the residents of George's Street stated that the development would adversely detract from the setting of the hotel and its "unique Victorian streetscape".

The design of the development was "seriously" out of character with buildings on George's Street Upper and Haigh Terrace, also protected structures, they added.

Although An Taisce warned that the proposed development would detract from the visual prominence of the protected structure, the board has now ruled that the proposed development would not adversely affect the historic character, appearance or integrity of the hotel.

However, the appeals board ordered that some changes be made: these included a requirement that the new bedroom block be set back further from the western boundary and that some balconies be omitted.

The Gresham Royal Marine in Dun Laoghaire closed business on October 20th 2004 when the Gresham Hotel Group chose not to renew a sale and leaseback agreement with the hotel's owners, the Nevilles, who bought the business for €22 million in 2001.

Meanwhile the Co Wexford developer is seeking to build more than 800 new residential units at its housing lands at Druid Valley, Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.

The developer has lodged a planning application with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for permission to build 805 homes on a 9.2 hectare site bounded by Tullyvale and Druid Valley Park, where the company has been involved in other residential schemes.

If given the go ahead this scheme will comprise 141 one-bed, 506 two bed and 122 three-bed and 36 duplex dwellings. More than 1,200 parking spaces will be provided with the scheme.