2 days ago
Dublin will require 1,725 new hotel bed spaces a year up to 2030
Dublin city will require 1,725 new hotel bed spaces a year between now and 2030 to meet projected demand.
That is according to a Hotel Concentration Report lodged with Dublin City Council for a new 40 bedroom hotel planned by US billionaire John Malone's MHL's Hotel Collection on Dublin's Drury Street and William Street South, Dublin 2.
In the planning application, Drury Leisure Investments Ltd - part of the MHL Hotel Collection that also includes the five star Intercontinental Dublin - has lodged plans for the new hotel adjacent to its four star Brooks Hotel.
The planning application also seeks permission for an additional five bedrooms at the Brooks Hotel to bring the total number of rooms at that hotel to 103 bedrooms.
In the hotel concentration report by McGill Planning lodged with the application, it states that the catchment area has the potential to grow its room numbers by 56% from 7,919 to 12,375. That includes planning applications for new hotel schemes already granted.
However, the report states that as many of these applications have been consented for three or four years and uncommenced to date, it is very unlikely that this level of consents is achievable.
The McGill report states that the demand estimates indicate that Dublin City "will need to cater for significantly more bedspaces to meet the need for visitor accommodation and ensure Dublin is positioned to take advantage of its tourism potential".
The report states that 8,627 additional hotel bedspaces will be required by 2030 - or an average of 1,725 a year.
The report states that based on slowing levels of room completions expected in the market, it is crucial that the Dublin City Council "can ensure a consistent and active pipeline of new rooms entering the market each year to cope with increasing demand, and ensure one of the key growth sectors of the Dublin City economy is effectively supported".
The report states that the new 40 bedroom hotel and the additional five bedrooms at the Brooks Hotel "would not result in an over-concentration of hotels in the local area".
The McGill report states that given the location of the subject site in the centre of the city, the idea of concentration needs to be weighed against the reality that hotel development within these locations offer the most sustainable, accessible, cultural parts of the city and are capable of providing the best visitor experience for tourists.
The report states that an increase in the capacity of 4- star accommodation is considered necessary as an analysis has indicated a deficit of 4-star accommodation within the 1km catchment.
Aidan Crowe of Banta Restaurants has lodged a letter in support of the application.
Mr Crowe operates the Pink Restaurant which is located at the site under planning consideration and says: "The scheme will revitalise the under-utilised site and provide much-needed additional hotel accommodation, contributing positively to the local economy within the south city centre."
