A Dublin councillor "can't get his head" around a proposal that would see a number of apartments turned into a hotel despite the housing crisis.
Dublin City Council has received a planning permission application for the conversion of a mixed use development, with residential spaces on three of its floors, into an aparthotel. Reuben Street Hot Desks Ltd is seeking permission for the development, which would see the conversion of retail and restaurant units at Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8 into a 16 bedroom, six-storey aparthotel of 691 sqm.
However Labour Cllr Darragh Moriarty told Dublin Live the proposal does not make sense given the current housing situation in the capital. He said: "I can't really get my head around a proposal that seeks to take existing apartments out of the market to replace them with short-term visitor accommodation in the middle of a housing crisis."
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The South West Inner City rep also called for more commercial units to be converted into homes. He added: "If anything, we should see conversion of the remaining office floors into more apartments to increase supply. There is huge focus and attention now from Dublin City Council going into how we can re-use vacant commercial units and convert them into homes for people who sorely need them - this proposal seeks to do the exact opposite of that."
Cllr Moriarty also said: "In my submission to the planning authority, I'll be urging them to reject this application."
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