Up to 12-storey hotel and apartments proposed near Smithfield fruit market in Dublin
A major mixed-use scheme ranging from six to 12 storeys in height is proposed for a key site on the north side of Dublin city, in the vicinity of the Smithfield fruit and vegetable market.
The site is currently occupied by fresh fruit and veg producer Dole Ireland, who store and distribute their goods from the on-site two-storey warehouse.
The proposal, which incorporates a 267-room hotel, 191 apartments, office and retail spaces and a crèche, would require the demolition of existing warehouse buildings on 1-6 Beresford Street in Dublin 7.
Submitted by applicant Balmoral Land Beresford Limited, it is set to have a residential mix of 57 one-bedroom apartments, 106 two-beds and 28 three-bedroom units.
The development, designed by JFA Architects, would provide just nine car parking spaces, and remove another four on-street car spots.
Developers cite its proximity to the Luas Four Courts stop, a three-minute walk away, and nearby high-frequency bus routes, as justification for the lack of car spaces.
A planning report compiled by consultant John Spain Associates, submitted alongside the proposal, said the plans would introduce “a high-quality mixed use development on an underutilised site” and “replace a low density commercial use with a higher density development”.
“The design and scale of the proposed development has sought to respond to and respect the surrounding context and seeks to make a positive contribution to this city centre location,” it read.
“The layout and design of the development seeks to enhance the streetscape and integrates appropriately with the surrounding context, whilst proposing high-quality new architectural additions to the area.”
However, submissions from the local community, including a nearby primary school, said the proposals represented overdevelopment and would overshadow existing houses in the area.
"The development, as outlined, is significantly out of scale with the surrounding buildings and would result in an overwhelming increase in density,” said one resident.
"The proposed height and bulk of the development will overshadow adjacent properties and create a detrimental effect on the surrounding streetscape,” they added.
The resident said that while the need for more city-centre residential development was widely accepted, “the area does not need nor want another hotel.”
"The planning authority has previously indicated that further hotel proposals in this area would not be considered appropriate,” they said.
“The planning authority is requested to hold their position and refuse the proposal for another hotel in this area.”
Other residents raised similar issues, while the principal of Presentation Primary School, located less than 100m from the site, said the development raised significant concerns about pupil privacy.
Principal Lorraine Hession wrote that it “gives rise to serious concerns regarding overlooking. Apartments, balconies and living/bedroom spaces directly face the school’s classroom windows, bathroom windows and rooftop playground.
"This proximity places children, some as young as three years old, in full view of residential units and vice versa.”
"Such a relationship is incompatible with the location of a primary school, raises profound child protection and safeguarding issues, and creates an unacceptable loss of privacy for pupils and staff,” she wrote.
The school is not opposed to development on the site, said Ms Hession, but “requires that any proposal protects the health, safety, privacy, wellbeing, and educational environment of the children in its care”.