Dalkey locals oppose planning for guesthouse extension of well-known pub

The proposed extension would see a 30-bed guesthouse added to the Queens Pub in Dalkey.

The plans have now been put on hold following opposition from local residents, the Irish Times has reported.

A number of appeals including one by the Dalkey Community Council were lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the planning permission for the development, which was approved by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The proposed development over two, two-storey connected blocks is planned by East Coast Heritage after the pub was bought by hoteliers Ray Byrne and Eoin Doyle for €3.5m in 2021. Responding to the proposal, the Dalkey Community Council said that while they welcomed the idea of additional guest accommodation in the village, they were concerned about the ‘overbearing nature’ on adjacent properties.

Image via Instagram/Queens_Dalkey

In a statement shared by the Times, the council’s chairperson Susan McDonnell said the proposed guesthouse would result in nearby homes having reduced or no sunlight for much of the day.

“Any new development should not result in the reduction in the standard of living of those residents already living in the vicinity,” she said.

Dating back to 1745, the Queen’s is a landmark pub for Dalkey located beside the town’s historic Castle and Heritage Centre. The pub underwent a €500,000 refurbishment in 2021 to update the interiors while still retaining many of the original features.

Header image via Instagram/Queens_Dalkey

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