Kilternan Hotel revamp to include pool for horses

An exercise pool for horses is in a planning application lodged by the new owners of the Kilternan Hotel in south Co Dublin.

The partially rebuilt and extended hotel which had €171.5 million from Irish Nationwide spent on it before the property market collapse, was sold last year to investors, the Comer Group, for about €7 million.

The Comer brothers Luke and Brian have extensive bloodstock interests and say they intend to use part of the 300-acre Kilternan estate as a “centre of excellence for equine breeding”.

The planning application lodged in the name of Luke Comer this month identifies a site west-northwest of the partially completed hotel, incorporating part of the former Kilternan Golf Club.

According to planning documents, the centre will incorporate 160 stables on two levels with a lift, a 1.6km gallops, track viewing areas on the second floor, a parade circuit, an equine exercise pool, and drying and cleaning rooms.

A third storey will include 36 self-contained studio and/or dormitory rooms.

There will also be sick rooms, a store, tack rooms, a veterinary clinic and office.

Outside there will be a three-bay agricultural shed, car parking and road. The planning application notes the proposed development may be considered to be within the curtilage or grounds of the former Springfield House, a Georgian house which is a protected structure.

The Kilternan Hotel has had a colourful history. In the 1970s entrepreneur Pat Quinn launched it as the Dublin Sport Hotel, an American-style membership resort.

In later years it developed a thriving wedding business while also creating a golf and health club.

Kilternan and two other property-related companies controlled by the late Hugh O’Regan collapsed in August 2009, with overall borrowings of €198.5 million.

The hotel was being lavishly rebuilt and extended at the time.

It is expected at least €20 million will be required to complete the work, about half of which would be needed to create a 78-bedroom aparthotel.

Substantial funds will also have to be spent on the completion of a 128-bedroom hotel.

The 16,435sq m (176,903sq ft) development also includes a spa, banqueting hall, lounge and services.

There is a particularly large health centre of 6,957sq m (74,883sq ft) over three levels built around a four-court indoor tennis centre.