PLANNING PERMISSION FOR a hotel structure at the site of Dublin’s Cobblestone pub has been refused by Dublin City Council. 

The decision to refuse permission was made on 25 November. Some 700 third-party submissions were submitted to the application during the consultation period. 

The Cobblestone is one of Dublin’s most popular pubs and is considered a cultural hub in the city. A petition opposing the hotel development on the site gained 20,000 signatures in October, while hundreds also protested in the city against the proposal.

The proposed development would involve demolishing a number of derelict buildings adjoining the pub, and the construction of a nine-storey hotel.

The pub itself is a protected structure, and according to the planning application, it would be retained as part of any development. 

“The planners’ report is very clear on the proposal – it basically contravenes the Dublin City Development Plan at every hand’s turn,” Nial Ring, independent councillor, said today in a statement.

“The vast majority of the objections, including my own, condemned the proposed loss of the famous backroom of the Cobblestone … a place which gave and continues to give tremendous support to Irish music, Irish culture and to the Irish Language.”

He added: “It was brilliant to note the planners report on this aspect of the proposal,” and that it pointed out that the development “would be overbearing and significantly out of character with the prevailing architectural context”.

Members of the public making submissions wrote that the proposed development will “destroy a family business and hugely important cultural resource in The Cobblestone Pub.”

Another said that “The Cobblestone is a cultural institution, by being one of the best places in Dublin to experience traditional Irish music,” and if the application goes ahead, it would destroy a cultural site “in everything but name”.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan tweeted that the result was “down to the people power of everyone who got involved”.

Do I dare to hope for the future of cultural space in Dublin? #Cobblestone hotel application has been refused. 👏 Down to the people power of everyone who got involved! pic.twitter.com/DXp6QPA4vu

— Neasa Hourigan TD (@neasa_neasa) November 29, 2021

The developers, Marron Estates Ltd, now have four weeks to appeal the decision.