Harry Crosbie's plans for 'Baby Vicar' venue at Dublin's docklands rejected

Gordon Deegan

Dublin City Council has refused planning permission to Harry Crosbie’s plans for a 4-star 35-bedroom hotel and the 'Baby Vicar' venue at Hanover Quay in Dublin 2.

When lodging the plans earlier this year, Mr Crosbie said that the 200-seater ‘Baby Vicar’ entertainment venue for Dublin’s docklands “will bring light and life to a dark place”.

The hotel and venue were to be housed in a two-storey glass box as part of an innovative design by PRC Architecture & Planning where the two-level glass cube would ‘oversail’ the protected structure at 9 Hanover Quay.

9 Hanover Quay has been the home of Vicar Street owners, Harry and Rita Crosbie, for the last 30 year,s and the planning application involves converting the Crosbie home to hospitality and entertainment mixed use.

However, the Council has refused planning permission to Mr Crosbie’s Misery Hill Entertainment Ltd on a number of grounds after a number of locals lodged objections.

The council stated that due to its height, scale, materials, form and historic fabric removal, the proposed development would seriously injure the special architectural character and setting of the Protected Structure and the Conservation Area.

The Council stated that the construction of a two-storey extension above the existing historic trusses "is overbearing and does not relate sensitively to the architectural detail, form and character of the original structure, and would conceal its historic form”.

The Council stated that “the proposal is not compatible with the future long-term conservation of this historic building and would create an undesirable precedent".

It added: “Furthermore, the construction of a new basement beneath the Protected Structure and in close proximity to the edge of the historic quay walls and the Grand Canal Dock body of water could seriously injure the integrity of the quay and dock structures”.

The Council found that the proposed works contravened the Dublin City Council Development Plan and “would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments, would devalue property in the vicinity”.

The Council also refused planning permission as the proposed development is reliant on substantial works to the public road to facilitate the development including the excessive removal of controlled on street parking on Hanover Quay.

The council found that “the reduced supply of on-street parking would detract from the convenience of road s, would be contrary to the stated policy and would set an undesirable precedent for other similar developments in the area”.

Asked to comment, Mr Crosbie said on Thursday, “People like me don’t give up” and said that he intends to examine the grounds for refusal and to lodge revised plans taking into the reasons for refusal.

He said that the planning refusal "is a pity as the area is dying because the large office blocks are sucking the life off the streets here and this little venue would have brought light and energy to the area.”

Mr Crosbie spearheaded the renewal of the docklands area and was behind what is now the 3Arena today, the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, while he was also a partner in delivering the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD).

Mr Crosbie said that he is currently advancing plans for his planned 185 bedroom Rock and Roll hotel for Vicar Street.