Deputy Chris Andrews (SF) has voiced concerns to Dublin City Council over plans presented by Patrick Crean’s Marlet Group. The proposed idea is to remodel an approved seven-floor office building into a 496-bed travellers’ hostel at Martin’s Terrace, in Dublin 2. The deputy argued that the inner city’s pressing requirement is for more residential properties. He noted that the area currently has 24 tourist lodging facilities and seven student accommodations within a 1km radius of the site. According to him, this could lead to an overcrowding of such amenities in the neighbouring vicinity.
Andrews’ objection was in sync with Cllr Kourtney Kenny (SF) and was among several registered against the hostel project. On behalf of Pearse Square Residents Association, Helen Murray shared these apprehensions. She expressed that the new large hostel could potentially cause disturbances in the local public and services.
Other objectors, William Crowley and Shonagh Hurley, were concerned that a tourist hostel could disrupt the existing social harmony in their community. They claimed this disturbance could originate from the continuous influx and exit of guests, destabilizing their sense of local unity.
Applicants and Marlet subsidiary, Prime GP4 Ltd, presented a planning report claiming that the Berlin-based a&o hostel chain, one of Europe’s biggest, would operate the hostel. Consultant Kevin Hughes, of Hughes Planning and Development Consultants, defended the proposal stating it wouldn’t lead to overcrowding of such facilities in the region. He insisted that Dublin city centre would benefit from more tourist accommodations, which would enrich the tourism appeal of the cultural core of the Grand Canal Dock.