Dublin City Council (DCC) has refused planning retention to a significant Airbnb operator close to Dublin Castle and Temple Bar to continue offering its apartments for short-term letting to tourists.
Dublin Castle Suites advertises its 10 apartments on the platform and can earn up to €350 per night per apartment on busy weekends.
The owners would earn only a fraction of its current rental income if the apartments, facing onto Parliament Street and Dame Street, were to be rented for long-term letting only.
Applicants, Olympia Real Estate, have the option of appealing the refusal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
In its decision, DCC pointed out that there is a general presumption in the Dublin City Council Development Plan against the provision of dedicated short-term tourist rental accommodation in the city due to the impact on the availability of housing stock.
In refusing planning permission, the council stated that Olympia Real Estate has not provided a sufficient justification for the provision of short-lease apartments at this location.
It found that the proposal to continue the apartments for short-term letting “would create an undesirable precedent for similar type development and would devalue property in the vicinity”.
The planners concluded that the proposed retention of short-term residential use is not compatible with the architectural character, historic fabric and special interests of the protected structure.
The DCC planning report, which recommended the refusal, concluded that the continued use of the apartments for tourist accommodation “would result in existing residential stock being lost to the residential housing system, meaning less long-term and secure accommodation will be available to the growing number of families and people who need it”.
Olympia Real Estate lodged the planning application after the council issued it with a warning letter over the use of the apartments for short-term letting.
Consultants for the applicants, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds (CSR), stated that “enabling housing as short-term let accommodation in this instance redirects such demand away from mainstream housing”.
The consultants said that “the proposed tourism accommodation will assist in the attractiveness of the area for tourists and will promote a continued busy and vibrant city centre”.
CSR stated that its client’s ability to acoustically meet the standards of normal accommodation is not available given the protected status of the subject premises.
“In a period of substantial housing crisis these units cannot remain vacant,” it added.
Objecting to the planned retention, Fiachra Brennan of Oakcourt Park in Dublin 20, who works on Parliament Street said that “these are high-quality urban apartments which should be available on the long-term rental market”.
“The applicant has pointed to issues with regards to soundproofing and insulation – this should not preclude the use of the property for its intended purpose,” he said.
“I work on Parliament Street. It is a vibrant area with a range of commercial and hospitality businesses but is also an important urban, residential city neighbourhood. This status should be protected.”
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
