Bid for luxury lodgings ‘dead in the water’
The project's developers, who have been turned down four times, said yesterday they have no intention of trying again.
As a result the planned luxury hotel has been lost to Kinsale along with the possible creation of 100 jobs potentially millions of euros to the local economy.
Old Head of Kinsale Golf Course owner John O'Connor and his brother Patrick have tried for the last eight years to build what would be Cork's second five-star hotel on a car park site in the centre of the town.
Each time they have been approved by the local authority they have found their path blocked by An Bord Pleanála, which has amazed and annoyed not just them but a lot of local people especially as the brothers had scaled down their plans time and time again in keeping with the appeals board's wishes.
Last March they were refused permission for a 110-bed hotel with bar, restaurant, gym and 129 space car park because it was considered too large. The brothers scaled their plans down to include 34 one bedroom suites and six two-bedroom suites.
They were refused yet again yesterday, also on the grounds that it was too large and would interfere with the "visual" look of the area.
"I'm concerned at their (An Board Pleanála's) attitude," John O'Connor said. "Everybody knows Kinsale needs a five-star hotel and we've spent €1.2 million on fees to date trying to build one."
"The local council has approved the plans and the vast majority of businesspeople in Kinsale are in favour of it," Mr O'Connor said. The plan had even been approved by a Bord Pleanála inspector, but over-ruled by its board.
He said the site,presently being used as a car park, was an eyesore and can't understand why the development kept getting turned down.
"I've now decided to put the site up for sale. I think the idea of a five-star hotel for Kinsale is now dead in the water," he said.
The golf course attracts scores of "well-heeled people" from all over the world who will usually stay in Killarney, because there is no five-star hotel in Kinsale itself.
Acting president of Kinsale Chamber of Tourism, Peter Barry, said it was a matter of regret that the development hadn't been allowed.
"We do need a five star hotel, there's no doubt about it. There would be further money circulating in the town if one was based here. Both he and mayor Charles Henderson said they hoped the O'Connor brothers would change their minds and look for another site.
An Taisce, a body which Mr O'Connor described as "serial objectors" welcomed the decision. Both they and a local businessman had objected to the development.
In a statement An Taisce said the design of the hotel was visually intrusive, out of character with the pattern of development in the area and incompatible with the urban grain of the town centre.
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