The Mercantile Group has received permission from An Bord Pleanála to proceed with a revamp of Dublin’s Mercantile Hotel.
The group is planning to expand the hotel into the adjacent Dame House, which it acquired in 2017. The venue's revamp will increase its bedroom count from 28 to 109.
Despite initially being approved by Dublin City Council, the proposed revamp was put on hold late last year following an objection by solicitor John Synnott, whose practice is based in Dame House where he has a long-term lease. Synnott lodged an appeal against the council's decision with An Bord Pleanála.
A Separate Legal Matter
The Mercantile Group told An Bord Pleanála that the building's tenancy is a legal agreement between the landlord and the tenant, and that any disputes concerning this are therefore a separate legal matter. Appeals board inspector Irené McCormack sided with the Mercantile Group, saying that the planning system is not designed as a mechanism for resolving disputes about title to land or premises or rights over land, and that these are matters for the courts, as reported by The Irish Independent.
McCormack also stated that the proposed refurbishment would result in a strong and architecturally appropriate building that would not negatively affect the character of the protected structure or seriously impact the area's visual amenities.
© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
