Planning row erupts between Waterford hotel and residents over live music venue

Two appeals have been lodged against the recent decision of Waterford City and County Council to grant planning permission to the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East for a function room extension including a bar

Waterford City & County Council approved an extension of the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East, though some residents have appealed

A planning row has broken out between a well-known hotel in Co. Waterford and some local residents over its plans for an extension as well as the retention of a marquee which is used for various events including live music concerts.

Two appeals have been lodged against the recent decision of Waterford City and County Council to grant planning permission to the Haven Hotel in Dunmore East, Co Waterford for a function room extension including a bar.

Several residents have also objected to the grant of retention permission for 18 months for a 320sq m marquee on the front lawn of the hotel, which can seat up to 140 guests.

Waterford City and County Council had previously refused retention permission for the marquee in 2019 because of its negative impact on the hotel, which is a protected structure, as well as being out of character with the distinctive local streetscape as well as concerns about noise disturbance.

On that occasion, the hotel received letters of support from over 3,500 people including 50 local businesses.

Enforcement proceedings in relation to the unauthorised use of the marquee had been commenced by Waterford City and County Council against the hotel before the latest application to regularise its status.

Soundproofing

Council officials noted that the marquee is also the subject of a court order which stipulated that it should be “soundproofed”.

However, they stated a key difference between the latest planning application and the 2019 attempt to secure permission for the marquee was that the hotel’s owners were now seeking to build a permanent function room, while only seeking to retain the marquee on a temporary basis.

The Haven Hotel, which has been operated by the Kelly family since 1964, said it was seeking the temporary permission for the marquee in order to secure the necessary financing and arrangements to construct a permanent function room to ensure commercial activity could continue and the hotel could remain operational.

The hotel said it had contributed to employment and economic activity in Dunmore East since it diversified into a weddings and events venue which would not have been possible without the use of the marquee. It employs a total of 45 staff.

It said the marquee, which was used to determine if it was economically viable to build a function room, had become a critical element of the hotel’s commercial success.

The council imposed a condition that any music in the marquee must cease by 11pm and a separate one requiring the installation of noise monitoring equipment and a noise limiter on the hotel’s sound systems.

Objections

In their objections, two local doctors, Michael and Jean Farrell, said they were not opposed to a well-run hotel but they had ongoing concerns about the unauthorised marquee and its late-night use with associated noise problems.

While they acknowledged the hotel had received support from various local community groups who use the hotel’s facilities, they said there was no reference in planning documents to the fact that popular bands like Aslan regularly play in the marquee.

Another appellant, John Stewart, said he was opposed to the granting of any permission for the retention of unauthorised structures which were also the subject of court orders.

A ruling on the appeal by An Bord Pleanála is due by mid-November.