Two Dublin schemes from Sretaw Hotel Group refused permission
Ambitions by Eamon Waters's Sretaw Hotel Group to further expand in Dublin have been dealt a double blow.
An Bord Pleanála and Dublin City Council issued separate refusals to plans by Mr Waters for two hotel projects in the city centre.
In one decision, the appeals board refused planning permission for a 61-bedroom hotel close to St Stephen's Green. It included plans for a new eight storey hotel on a site known as Textile House on Johnson's Place and Clarendon Market opposite the Grafton Hotel in Dublin.
The development was to be an extension to the 127 bedroom Grafton Hotel.
READ MORE
In March 2024, the city council granted permission to Mr Waters's Grafton Residence UC for the scheme. However, it was stalled after Colm McNamara and Stock Design (Ireland) Ltd lodged third party appeals with An Bord Pleanála.
Dismissing its own inspector's recommendation to grant permission, the appeals board refused it. It concluded the plan would adversely impact upon the development potential of third party properties to the south of the site and would be likely to seriously injure the amenities and depreciate the value of those properties.
The board ruled that such an adverse impact on the adjoining lands would militate against future urban consolidation and densification and would conflict with the land use zoning objective in the Dublin City Development Plan.
The board explained that in deciding not to accept the inspector's recommendation, it felt the placing of a significant number of windows on the shared site boundaries would significantly and adversely impact upon the redevelopment potential of those city properties to the south of the site.
Meanwhile, the Dublin City Council has refused planning permission to Mr Waters's Peachbeach UC for a 113 bedroom hotel on Baggot Street Lower as it felt the scheme would cause serious injury to the special architectural character of the Georgian area.
Planners concluded the proposed six story over basement scheme was inappropriate in terms of its extensive demolition of historic facades along Baggotrath Place and Fitzwilliam Lane.
They also found the significant increase in windows along with the eastern site boundary would directly impact on the development potential of the adjacent site and would have a detrimental impact on the protected structure in terms of overlooking, historic character and setting.
The council found the scheme would contravene policies of the Dublin City Development Plan and would create an undesirable precedent for similar type development.
The council refused permission for Peachbeach UC last year for the same site when the firm proposed a 66 bedroom hotel and 23 apartments as part of a six storey scheme.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Q&A: What is the pension payment error all about and can the money be recouped?
Unions and representatives of retired civil servants say they are awaiting detail of the errors made in relation to the pensions of their current or former members . However, there is concern that some of the issues could require legislation and that senior politicians could be impacted by any changes to the law. What has happened? On Tuesday the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said 'serious and systemic operational issues' had been identified at the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), which employs about 850 people and handles payroll administration for all government departments. The belief is these errors have resulted in some retired civil servants being underpaid in their pensions; incorrect pension contributions having been deducted from current and previous ministers; and the wrong amount of tax being deducted from the lump sums paid to about 30 senior civil servants upon retirement. With a review of 13,000 retirees' positions under way, however, and an external audit of the NSSO to be undertaken, it is uncertain how the situation will develop. READ MORE What will happen in respect of people who owe or are owed money? Mr Chambers said he was committed to ensuring 'all monies owed to the State are fully recouped and monies owed to individuals are refunded'. The former is likely to create issues, however, especially in relation to the larger amounts, with one retiree said to owe €280,000. With Mr Chambers suggesting some ministers may be asked to repay more than €30,000, the tax issue could be considerable. Details of the time frame have not been clarified, but Ciaran Rohan of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants says recouping overpayments stretching back more than four years could leave retirees, or potentially some politicians, substantially out of pocket. This is because current legislation would only allow the reclaiming of the extra tax paid as a result of receiving the extra money for the past four years, even if the overpayments stretched further back. Could that be changed? Only by legislation, says employment lawyer Barry Kenny, who says the issue means 'the original error has financial implications beyond a simple repayment issue'. It also has the potential to make it a political one. How could the money be recouped? A government circular in 2018 sets out the various ways in which overpayments can be reclaimed but there is no provision for anything like a liability of €280,000. The intention should be to recoup all the money and ideally within a year, it suggests, usually by deductions from pay or pensions of up to 8 per cent of the gross amount the person is receiving. But these people can afford to repay, no? The largest figures relate to people who had pension funds on retirement worth more than €2 million. That would certainly suggest they are well off but coming up with the funds to repay a six-figure sum is likely to be regarded as an issue. Cloda Ryan of the Retired Civil and Public Servants Association (RCPSA), which has some 7,000 members, says the vast majority of amounts involved are likely to be far smaller but still have the potential to cause problems for the pensioners concerned. 'Contrary to public perception, the majority of Civil Service pensioners have moderate pensions, in many cases lower than they would receive under the social welfare State pension for which, in general, civil servants recruited before April 6th, 1995 do not qualify.' The organisation is seeking assurances 'that no recovery of pension overpayments would take place without consultation and agreement with each pensioner affected'. And if an agreement can't be reached? 'Any civil servant faced with a request to refund money, large or small, should take legal advice to clarify the legal basis for the demand to repay and whether the figures are accurate,' says Mr Kenny. He says where the validity is established, 'reasonable' deductions or instalments would need to be agreed.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on AI and Ireland: the future will not wait
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept confined to Silicon Valley or science fiction. It is here, now, reshaping economies, transforming industries and prompting governments to rethink everything from education and employment to ethics and regulation. The question Ireland must urgently confront is whether it is truly prepared for the scale and speed of change AI is set to unleash. There are reasons both for cautious optimism and concern. Ireland has long positioned itself as a European technology hub, hosting the headquarters of many of the world's leading tech firms. Government agencies are actively courting AI investment. Research centres in Irish universities are leaders in developing cutting-edge AI applications. The recent launch of an AI Skills programme by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment signals a growing recognition of the need to upskill the workforce. But the evidence of the last decade also suggests that Irish regulators struggle to come to terms with the challenges posed by US tech companies which are not slow to wield their considerable political influence. The establishment of an Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence, which met for the first time this week, marks a step in deepening political and legislative engagement with the issue. The committee has the potential to initiate a broader public and legislative debate on AI policy that balances innovation with the safeguarding of democratic values and public interest. But for this to succeed, it will need to act in constructive coordination with education, enterprise and civil society. Because readiness is about more than strategy documents, it must reach into the heart of how we educate, train, and govern. Schools, for example, are already grappling with how to prepare students for a new world in which traditional educational metrics are no longer credible. The reformed Leaving Certificate, with its increased emphasis on project work, now faces an unexpected challenge: how to assess students fairly in a world where generative AI can produce plausible essays and design projects at the click of a button. READ MORE Equally urgent are the labour market implications. AI is set to displace roles in sectors ranging from transport and customer support to software development and legal services. Without a serious, joined-up national response, Ireland could face widening inequality, social dislocation and a growing digital divide. Nimble policymaking and innovative thinking are imperative. But this moment also requires political will and public investment. AI is not just a technological leap. It is a societal transformation. If Ireland is to thrive in this new age, it must act with speed, coherence and purpose. The future will not wait.
RTÉ News
4 hours ago
- RTÉ News
AerCap can recover over $1 billion, UK court rules in case over jets 'lost' in Russia
The world's largest aircraft lessor AerCap can recover over $1 billion in relation to jets stuck in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, London's High Court ruled today, though that is less than the roughly $2 billion it sought. The court ruled broadly in favour of leasing companies in a multi-billion-dollar legal dispute with insurers, following a mammoth trial of one of the biggest insurance disputes ever heard in London which concluded in February. The lawsuit had focused on almost 150 jets and some engines, previously with a total value of up to $4.7 billion, though settlements - including on the first day of the trial in October - have whittled the numbers down. Judge Christopher Butcher said in a summary of his ruling that the aircraft were lost and "that loss occurred on 10 March 2022, when a piece of Russian legislation banned the export of aircraft and aircraft equipment from Russia". That meant the lessors could recover from their "war risks insurers", rather than under a broader all risks clause, as the cause of the loss was "an act or order of the Russian government", Butcher said. The judge also ruled that insurers were not prevented by EU or US sanctions from indemnifying the claimants for the loss of aircraft which had been leased to Russian airlines. AerCap's law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer said the judgment secured $1.035 billion for AerCap, "in addition to substantial recoveries achieved in prior settlements". The $1.035 billion sum is, however, less than AerCap's claimed losses of over $2 billion had it been able to recover under its all risks policy. Butcher said in his ruling that Dublin-based AerCap had received just over $1.3 billion from six settlements between August and December 2023 with lessees and a Russian insurance company. AerCap, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Merx Aviation, KDAC Aviation Finance, Falcon and Genesis had led the claims against a string of insurers, including AIG, Lloyd's, Chubb and Swiss Re. KDAC settled all its claims during the trial, Butcher said in his ruling, while AerCap, DAE and other lessors have periodically disclosed partial settlements.
