More offices planned for D4 scheme

DEVELOPERS BERNARD McNamara and Jerry O'Reilly are seeking planning permission to turn a hotel and hospital at their Elm Park development on the Merrion Road in Dublin 4 into offices.

Their company, Radora Developments Ltd, is proposing a change of use for the eight-storey four-star standard hotel on its grounds to over 10,000sq m (107,639sq ft) of office space and a winter garden.

It is also proposing that a private day hospital, linked to the hotel, be turned into a further 12,000sq m (129,167sq ft) of offices served by 146 existing car-parking spaces.

A spokesperson for Bernard McNamara says the company is looking to turn the private hospital into offices because St Vincent's Hospital is building a new 260-bed private hospital nearby.

She said the developer wants to convert the existing hotel to offices because it is planning to redevelop the adjoining Tara Towers Hotel, which it bought for €14 million as part of the second phase of the Elm Park development.

The hotel and hospital are part of the €450 million Elm Park mixed-use development on the former 14.5-acre Sisters Of Charity lands at Merrion Road and Bellevue Avenue. The development includes 330 apartments, 100 terraced houses, and more than 30,000sq m (322,917sq ft) of offices in an open landscaped setting, all designed by Bucholz McEvoy.

Last year Bernard McNamara and Jerry O'Reilly's ambitious 25-storey mixed-use scheme incorporating a 156-bed hotel on the site of the Tara Towers Hotel was rejected by An Bord Pleanála.

Meanwhile Mr McNamara - who is also looking to redevelop the site occupied by the Burlington Hotel, Dublin 4 as a mixed-use development - has been asked to provide further information on that scheme to Dublin City Council.

As well 185 apartments, a leisure centre, gym, three restaurants, a café and a park, he is looking to build 33,340sq m (358,868sq ft) of office space.

However, Dublin City Council has asked the developer to "provide justification for the proposal to provide office space on Z1 zoned lands 'to protect, provide and improve residential amenities'."

McNamara has responded by suggesting that he omit 12 own-door office units and build shops, a neighbourhood convenience store and a medical centre in its place.

Irish Times

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