PLANS FOR HOW a new hotel in Dublin will look if it is approved have been revealed.
Planning permission for the site on George’s Street on the capital’s southside was applied for last month, with documents becoming available this week.
The plan, submitted by Grosam Properties Limited, proposes building a hotel on the site of what was the Dockrell’s hardware store until the ’80s and an outlet shoe shop until the early ’90s.
In total, the retail unit of the building has been vacant since at least the early 1990s. An Indian restaurant operated in the end of the building until 2015.
The Grosam plan proposes building a 100-room hotel with a restaurant and three retail units.
According to the planning application:
“The development will consist of the following: Retention of the brick facade to South Great George’s Street and part of the Lower Stephen Street facade and demolition of the existing 3-4 storey over basement structure (c.3,716 sq.m).
“Construction of a five-storey over single basement structure to include retained facade. The building will comprise a 100 bedroom hotel, a restaurant and three retail units.”
The plan would include a hotel restaurant, an ESB substation and bicycle storage as well as a new window on the first floor facing onto George’s Street.
An exterior report included in the planning documents recommends that the facade of 51-53 St Stephen’s Street be demolished as part of the overall development due to severe deterioration of the joists and brickwork failures.
The planning report says that the plan will “bring the site back into active commercial use while maintaining the character of the streetscape to South Great George’s Street”. This means that the facade on George’s Street will be retained. It adds that the development will be the “most efficient use of space”.
The report adds that a hotel operator has already agreed to run the site, subject to planning approval and construction.
The site has been the subject of a number of plans since its shuttering nearly three decades ago.
Local councillors have welcomed the plan as something that could play a part in the continued regeneration of the area.
Local Fine Gael councillor Kieran Binchy told TheJournal.ie the plan would be “great to see”.
“I’d love to see something happen with that building. While you don’t want too many restaurants in one area, George’s Street is a great place.”
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