Landmark Corrib Great Southern Hotel to bite the dust

The owners of the Corrib Great Southern have been granted an extension of time to demolish the dilapidated hotel.

It was once one of the top locations for weddings and conferences in the West of Ireland – now the fixtures and fittings have been stripped, many of its windows smashed and it has been subjected to a series of arson attacks.

Planning permission for the demolition of the once landmark property was due to expire at the beginning of March.

However, the Comer Group and husband-and-wife team Padraic and Martina McHale from Clonbur sought an extra five years for the demolition plan.

The rear of the former Corrib Great Southern Hotel, with virtually every window smashed

Through their investment vehicles Welcorrib Ltd and Trigo Property Company Ltd, they told city planners that the inability to source funding for the demolition was beyond their control – they only purchased the premises in 2013 (for around €3.5m). It was previously owned by Gerry Barrett’s Edward Holdings, who paid around €30m for it in 2006.

“The inability to source funding for the [demolition] was beyond the control of the applicant and was a result of the decline in economic conditions. However, having regard to reducing costs and, hopefully, the ‘bottoming out’ of the economic recession, as well as the need to address the current condition of the former hotel building, our client is confident that the proposed [demolition] will achieve the required funding to implement in the coming years.

“The funding issue arose primarily as a function of the high costs associated with the proposed development and the poor state of the commercial sector during the financial crisis since 2008,” the application read.

Planners agreed to extend permission, but for two years rather than five.

“It is considered that a period of five years is very excessive, in terms of providing sufficient time to demolish the building, as granted in 2010,” Assistant Planner Peter Staunton said.

Last year, Galway City Council served notice on the owners of the building of their intention to add it to the Register of Derelict Sites. In a six-month period last year, there were four arson attacks there. The Comers appeared in 16th place in the recent Sunday Independent Rich List for 2015, with a wealth of €825m.

Padraic McHale owns McHale Engineering in Mayo with his brother Martin – the brothers appeared at Number 109 with an estimated wealth of €115m.