Clarence decision opposed

Conservationist Michael Smith has said he will appeal Dublin City Council's decision to grant planning permission for a €150 million demolition and rebuilding project involving the Clarence Hotel and five neighbouring properties.

Mr Smith said the decision was "shocking" and warned he would seek a judicial review if An Bord Pleanála did not show sufficient regard to stringent criteria that he said applied to the demolition of protected structures, of which the hotel was a prominent example.

The city planners last week approved plans for the demolition and reconstruction of the hotel and neighbouring buildings to include a spectacular rooftop "skycatcher atrium", a spa, more than 140 bedrooms, a two-level basement containing a swimming pool and car parking and a "signature" restaurant.

However, Mr Smith described the scheme as possibly the "biggest demolition of a protected structure in recent years".

He said guidelines and planning laws were explicit in their intention that only in "exceptional circumstances" could permission be granted for the demolition of such structures.

Permission has been granted in recent years to demolish a house on the Lansdowne Road football club site, and for the demolition of Corballis House at Dublin airport, both of which were protected structures.

But Mr Smith said the developers in these cases had outlined "exceptional circumstances", arguing their operations could not reasonably be expected to move to another site and the development represented a national priority.

"It is not clear that how the need for a 5½-star hotel is anything approaching a national priority" he said. "A 5½-star can be achieved by expanding into the existing buildings."