COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
MOTION NO.18
MOTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy
That the Council intervene urgently in accordance with any of its powers and functions in relation to Beckett's Hotel, which is a protected structure that is vacant and becoming increasingly derelict, so that the building is protected and secured, and if appropriate the Council would consider playing a role in bringing the building back to use, as there is a need for hotel accommodation in the County.
REPORT:
To date the following action has been carried out by Derelict Sites and the Planning Enforcement and Architectural Conservation Sections.
- November 2023 - SSO, received a members rep in relation to this site, a new Derelict Site File was opened.
- January 2024 - Senior Clerk of Work visited the site and advised: “That the hotel is vacant, and the entrance is secure with a barrier”.
- The file was brought to the meeting of the Senior Architect who endorsed the file as follows: “There is no action available under the Derelict Site Act” and informed Derelict sites to close the file. The file was therefore closed.
- Prior to the above the Architectural Conservation Section and Planning Enforcement were also aware that this site is currently vacant after the closure of the hotel. During 2022 the Architectural Conservation Officer recommended that a Warning Letter be sent to the property owners as a way of making contact and reminding owners of their duty of care of the Protected Structure.
- Planning Enforcement issued a Warning Letter to the owner after carrying out a land search, but no reply was ever received. During March 2023 the Planning Inspectors and the Councils Architectural Conservation Officer carried out site inspections and reached the same conclusion as Derelict sites and the Senior Clerk.
It was considered that although the former hotel is vacant, the site is secure and there were no signs of any direct threats or any related Endangerment Issues, therefore the file was closed by Planning Enforcement and agreed with the Architectural Conservation Officer as there are no signs that the Protected Structure is under any threat or endangered.
The above outlines the action taken to date by SDCC in line with Derelict Sites and Planning Enforcement re Possible Endangerment of a Protected Structure under Part IV of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The site has not been found to warrant any further action under Derelict Sites. Although the site is currently vacant it is not considered to be Endangered and has been found to be secure.
A pre-planning meeting took place during November 2023 under PP106/23 which included for the continued hotel use on the site. As the site still remains in private ownership any future use of the site will have to be initiated by the owner/s.