April 6, 2008:

No Failte Ireland welcome for U2's proposed Clarence revamp


U2's plans for a €150m revamp of the Clarence Hotel in Dublin have not been given one hundred thousand welcomes by Failte Ireland, the national tourism authority.


Failte Ireland criticised the project, saying that the planned dramatic facelift for the hotel -- owned by Bono and The Edge -- contravenes policies relating to conservation and does not constitute sustainable development.

The comments were made by Paddy Mathews, the authority's manager for Environment and Planning, in a submission that will be made at an An Bord Pleanala oral hearing about the case later this month.

It will be a blow to the band, after they especially requested the hearing to put their case forward before the planning board come to a decision on whether or not they should be allowed to go ahead.

The ambitious project for the Clarence -- which involves knocking down four neighbouring listed buildings and erecting a spaceship-like atrium on top -- was given the green light by Dublin City Council in November of last year.

However, a number of interested parties appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala. An Taisce, the national trust, and the Irish Georgian Society voiced opposition.

Bono, The Edge and developer Paddy McKillen then requested an oral hearing by the board, believed to be in order to put their views forward ahead of the board making a decision.

Failte Ireland did not volunteer the submission, it was requested by An Bord Pleanala.

In his comments, Paddy Mathews conceded that the development would be "exciting and innovative".

But he added: "It is clear that the treatment of these protected structures contravenes Dublin City Development Plan policies relating to the conservation of protected structures and does not constitute proper and sustainable development."

He said: "Dublin city derives much of its character and appeal to visitors from its Georgian heritage. It is important that the integrity of this historic fabric be protected.

"It is also considered that this may set an unwelcome precedent for development in the Georgian heart of the city."

One of the appellants, environmentalist and former head of An Taisce Michael Smith, welcomed and agreed with the Failte Ireland submission.

He said: "It is part of a new, serious approach to the environment that the former Bord Failte has started to take over the last few years. Formerly it was inclined to support all tourist infrastructure."

Smith also called on the Minister for the Environment John Gormley to make a submission to An Bord Pleanala, as he said would be usual, against what Smith described as "the biggest demolition of protected structures in more than a decade in Dublin" before its oral hearing on the matter starting on April 16.

The revamp has already been given the go-ahead by Dublin City Council, despite its own city conservation architect, Clare Hogan, advising a refusal in her report, stating that the planned development did not meet legal requirements.

She expressed concern that the band was unable to provide "exceptional circumstances" to demolish four neighbouring listed buildings -- as required under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

Bono and The Edge plan to demolish the Georgian buildings and transform the 44-bedroom boutique hotel into a 141-bedroom five-star hotel and spa -- complete with restaurant, bar and fresh food market.

A spokesman for Failte Ireland said: "Our position is as outlined in the submission to the oral hearing. We would be happy to meet developers to talk about plans in great detail, if developers think that would be of benefit."

A planning source said the Failte Ireland comments were not as damning as they may initially seem. They said: "It is pretty balanced. They make a nod towards the good points of the project, while also voicing a bog standard concern about gutting buildings."

- Larissa Nolan

independent.ie