An Taisce to oppose seven-storey hotel planned for Dublin foothills

An Taisce is to object to a proposal to build a seven-storey spa hotel at the foot of the Dublin Mountains.

Caspian Country Investments Limited has applied to build a 250-bedroom hotel with 35 apart-hotel suites, a conference centre, a restaurant and three bars on a site in Sandyford, off the Blackglen Road and behind Lamb Doyle's pub.

The proposed development, to be known as Sandyford Garden Spa Resort, will include 14 treatment rooms, a 25-metre swimming pool, a single-storey hostel and café, 443 car-park spaces and a helipad.

A previous application for a 13-storey development on the same site was rejected last year. The area is zoned high amenity, with the border of the zoning running behind the houses at Woodside and Blackglen Roads.

An Taisce is concerned about the visual impact of the development, its encroachment on the Dublin Mountains and the effects of traffic on the area.

Mr David Roe, a local resident and member of An Taisce's South County Dublin Association, argued that there should be no major development of any sort on the mountain side of the zoning border.

"It should be the absolute stop to the spread of the city into the foothills," he said. "Once the line is breached and major development permitted, an extremely strong precedent has been created, which is almost certain to be used by other developers hoping to take advantage of scenic sites."

He said replanted trees could not be expected to hide a seven-storey building and he also highlighted the narrow and winding local road network.

Cllr Lettie McCarthy (Lab) said she did not welcome the return of the application, even with its reduced scale.

"The only argument I have heard in support of this proposed development from council officials is that it will encourage tourism," Cllr McCarthy said. "Why can we not comprehend that the mountains are in themselves a very valuable amenity and what tourists actually come to see?"

She said she hoped many local people would lodge objections to the development.

Mr Seán O'Laoire, a spokesman for the architects of the proposed hotel, said the company was engaged in continuing discussions with a number of American and continental hotel groups.

He said it was likely that an announcement would be made with the German chain Steigenberger in the near future.

"The whole site will be more accessible to the larger market, with a rambler's-rest type development included in the plan," he added.