Permission granted for Merrion Hotel extension

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DUBLIN City Council has granted planning permission for a large extension to an exclusive hotel in the south city area, despite concerns expressed by the Department of the Environment and An Taisce that the structure would compromise the protected Georgian architecture in the area.
Last week the five-star Merrion Hotel received permission from the city council to demolish the JWT building on Baggot Street Lower and construct a six-storey wing.
The construction of a penthouse suite, shops and underground parking are included in the scheme. The development would also include the substantial retention, refurbishment and extension of 11a Lower Baggot Street, which is one of a number of protected structures in the immediate vicinity of the hotel.
But the Department of the Environment and An Taisce have both expressed concern that the original layout of the Georgian architecture on Baggot Street, which forms part of a conservation area, could be compromised by the development.