Planners sink basement restaurant extension in Salthill

Planners have refused to allow a new restaurant in Salthill to retain its basement dining and kitchen area, ruling it is as ‘substandard unauthorised development’.

Husband-and-wife team Patrick O’Malley and Lisa Creaven of the Fisherman Seafood Bar and Grill on the Promenade had sought permission to retain an existing food preparation and a dining area in the basement.

They told planners that the basement is the ‘key to the survival’ of the restaurant and they were unaware that planning was so restrictive on the unit on the Rockland Court development.

They pointed out they have invested heavily in the project – including a €40,000 air extraction system.

The couple have a 20-year lease on the premises, currently renting at around €40,000 per annum.

At the moment, 30 people are employed at the restaurant, and fish is sourced from local fishermen.

In their application, the couple said the main kitchen is limited in size, which required a basement kitchen for food preparation and some light cooking.

“The ancillary dining area at the basement level was fitted out in order to allow us manage noise levels during busy evening sittings.

“This area was also intended to allow us cater for private functions such as christenings, Holy Communions, birthdays etc. The basement dining area, however, turned out to be far more characteristic than we had envisioned and we were developing a lighter tapas style theme for this area.

“This is our first time to open or operate a restaurant and we had no idea that our planning was so restrictive and we were advised when taking on the lease that we had greater flexibility than we, in fact, had.

“It was not out intention to open this area without planning and it has caused us great concern as we have clearly invested very heavily in this area.

“The basement kitchen and dining room are key to the operation and survival of the restaurant and we ask the Council to grant us retention permission to continue this use,” the application reads.

An inspection by Executive Planner John Doody found there were “substantial unauthorised works”, including a constructed store for drinks, and the building’s communal bin store to the rear contained fridges and was being used as the cold food storage area.

“A timber structure/divider had been constructed and was being used for storing the bins within the communal open space area, there were also a number of fridges/coolers and other equipment located directly in the communal rear area,” Mr Doody said.

However, planners rejected the application, ruling it would impact on the residents who live in overhead apartments.

The business was also recently refused permission by An Bord Pleanála to extend its opening hours from 10pm to 11.30pm.

The City Council has ruled that the use of the basement as a kitchen and seating area represents an “unacceptable overdevelopment and intensification of uses resulting in the inadequate provision of communal amenity open space contravening the Development Plan standards and facilitating a substandard unauthorised development”.

“The development of the basement area has displaced the permitted cold food/goods and waste storage areas from basement level to the rear communal open space/structures.

“If retained, this would fragment and adversely impact upon the usability and functionality of an area specifically designated as a communal open space intended to be used for the enjoyment of the occupiers of the building and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” the Council ruled.