Keelings aparthotel plan faces graveyard delay

THE developers of a planned 343-unit aparthotel on the site of a fresh fruit and veg distribution depot in Dublin are facing a couple of potential pitfalls over the plan.

LMS Investments is intending that apart-hotel firm, Staycity operate the planned seven story aparthotel at Dublin’s Little Mary Street.

The site is owned by fruit and veg distributors and producers Keelings and director, William Keeling has provided his written consent for the plans to be lodged.

A report lodged with the application states that the aparthotel will be operated by Staycity.

The documentation states that Staycity was established in Dublin in 2004 and currently operates 2,000 rooms in Ireland, the UK and France with plans to increase the number to 5,000.

The report states that the application will regenerate an inner-city, underutilised brownfield site with a modern aparthotel development.

The report states that the plan present a major opportunity to provide a catalyst and dynamic for the regeneration and redevelopment of the Markets area.

However, the potential for human remains on the site of the planned seven -storey hotel has placed a question mark over the development.

A City Council archaeologist report found that given that the site is located near to a medieval abbey and that human remains were found nearby, “I consider that it to have high potential for in-situ structural remains of medieval date and for burials”.

As a result of the potential for human remains on the site of the planned aparthotel on, the city Council has ordered the omission of the basement of the development and further archaeological work to be carried out to search for the potential human remains.

However, the applicants, LMS Investments have appealed the two conditions attached to the permission to An Bord Pleanála.

Consultants for LMS state that conditions attached to the permission “create onerous precedent, giving rise to a disincentive to regenerate this inner city area that has lagged behind other areas”.

However, objector, Sean Harrington Architects has appealed against the decision to grant planning permission.

An appeal lodged on behalf of Mr Harrington and others claims that the planned development would exacerbate the poor urban quality and public safety concerns presented by the existing urban environment of Anglesea Row.

‘It would be a disincentive to regenenerate an inner city area’