Citywest fails in bid to expand venue

Live Nation, the international owner of Dublin’s 3Arena, has won a planning battle blocking the new owner of the Citywest Hotel from turning its convention centre into a concert venue.

An Bord Pleanála has overturned a grant decision by South Dublin County Council and refused planning permission for the development.

The owner of Citywest, Tetrarch Capital — which paid €29m for the hotel in 2014 — was seeking to increase the capacity of the hotel’s convention centre from 4,100 to 6,000 and stage concerts there.