Student hostel plan refused for Dublin Georgian House

Plans to use an empty Georgian house on Dublin's Parnell Square for student accommodation have been refused by Dublin City Council because of the lack of open space and poor communal facilities.

The council’s conservation department also criticised the proposal, saying it would be “difficult to think of a less suitable use of a worthy protected structure than as a student hostel”.

The owners of the mid-18th century building, which had until recently been used as offices, are appealing to An Bord Pleanála to overturn the council's decision, citing the lack of student housing in the city.

Permission

Atlantic Diamond

Ltd, which manages a number of student accommodation complexes in the city, wants permission to convert the house on Parnell Square West, opposite the Rotunda Hospital, into a 13-bed student facility. The development would also involve the installation of seven new bathrooms and the provision of a communal kitchen, dining room and laundry facilities.

In refusing the development, the council said the house would offer no private open space for the students and the location of the kitchen and the dining facilities in the basement of the house provided “poor quality communal facilities”.

It was also opposed to the “nature” and “intensity of use” of the building and the significant number of bedrooms and shower rooms planned, which it said would represent a “a significant overloading and inappropriate use of a protected structure”.

Particular concerns were raised by the conservation department about the effect on the historic building.

Bizarre

“It is bizarre that use as a hostel could be considered as protecting the architectural quality of an 18th century town house,” the department said . “It would be difficult to think of a less suitable use of a worthy protected structure than as a student hostel, with the principal rooms subdivided to provide sanitary facilities in a corner.”

Atlantic Diamond said it was surprised by the council’s decision given the “dire shortage” of student housing in the city. The house would be “much improved” by the planned work and residential occupation would “breathe life back into the square”, it said.