Councillors rezone derelict Spinnaker hotel site

City councillors have paved the way for a new hotel or residential development on the site of the derelict Spinnaker House Hotel in Knocknacarra.

A submission by owner Clearwater Ventures Ltd on the Draft City Development Plan 2017-23 requesting a zoning change of the site to ‘R’ (residential) was approved by fifteen councillors present at a meeting of the local authority.

Clearwater is owned by city businessman Francis O’Flaherty, London-based Paul Brennan and a company called Bungalow Investments based in New Jersey.

Mr O’Flaherty is Chief Operating Officer with Declan Ganley’s Rivada Networks, while Bungalow Investments is operated by Michael Higgins from Mayo, who is a real estate financier in the US with the CIBC World Markets investment bank.

The company sought to have the 2.5 acres of land (split into two sites) rezoned from CI (Commercial/Industrial) and RA (recreational Amenity) to R.

The hotel itself and the adjoining florists and hairdressers have CI zoning, while the carpark to the rear is RA.

They asked that if the carpark element could not be rezoned, if the Development Plan could allow it to be considered as ‘open space’ when a planning application is put together.

As well as residential development, ‘R’ zoning can allow for local shops and offices, community buildings, hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs.

City Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath recommended that the hotel and retail units be rezoned, and that the carpark area can contribute to open space provision “only where it is part of an overall high-quality urban design and is restored to natural landscaping and biodiversity”. It cannot be used for carparking purposes in such an instance.

Cllr Declan McDonnell proposed to accept the Chief Executive’s recommendations, which was seconded by Niall McNelis. Fifteen councillors voted in favour, and three were absent.

It’s believed the Spinnaker site was purchased for around €600,000 in 2014.

In 2008, then owner Ronan Lawless was granted permission for a €30 million upmarket boutique hotel with 26 bedrooms and bar and 16 apartments over three and four storeys (plus basement). That planning permission will expire in December 2018.

Earlier plans for a nine-storey pub, leisure centre and 19 apartments were rejected by An Bord Pleanala.