To whom it may concern,
Myself and my wife, Ciara, would like to add our voices to those observing against the proposed development at 1–3 The Crescent in Donnybrook.
As residents in the area for the past 12 years, we have no objection in principle to the establishment of a new hotel. A case in point is the Hampton Hotel, which provides local amenity, is set back from the road and is delightfully in keeping with the rest of the village.
The proposed designs appear to have been put together without any consideration for the aesthetic, the history and the preservation of the spirit of Donnybrook Village.
It feels like the proposed development has been designed in a vacuum, and there is nothing in the plans to reflect how the architects sought to marry the legacy of the existing village with their vision for the future.
There seems to be an overarchingly commercial leaning with the proposal. The design appears to completely ignore the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian buildings, without even so much as a nod to the heritage therein.
The proposed would be a domineering building by virtue of its size and central location, as observed by other parties. It just feels like a missed opportunity to build something that complements and evolves the village, rather than just another bland modern-for-the-sake-of-modern erection in the middle of a beautiful village with a rich history.
We leave this observation with a challenge: resubmit the application with a building that is less ambitious in terms of the raw business numbers that it can cater for, and more ambitious in the value it can bring to Donnybrook, both aesthetic and functional. Emphasising quality and not quantity should not need to affect any financial top-line planning.
Propose a building that marks the heritage of the village, yet wears its modernity with pride.
Propose a hotel that has fewer rooms, and fewer floors, but fill those rooms with details and design that will draw discerning visitors and keep them coming back.
Propose something new, fresh and exciting, in keeping with what we already have, but pushing things forward.
Propose something that residents and visitors would be proud of.
We would support that.
—Paul and Ciara Campbell