A new hotel opposite Trim Castle in Meath, which was at the centre of a heated planning row, opens for business tomorrow.
Trim Castle Hotel has been built on a battleground in more ways than one. The development of the hotel, which is opposite the recently restored 12th- century castle, was criticised by a number of bodies including An Taisce, Dúchas and the Europa Nostra heritage organisation. The main objections were to the inappropriate placing and massing of the four-storey hotel.
"The hotel has to be seen in context," says Stephen Williams, marketing director for the hotel. "It's good for the area and a lot of people who objected to the development of the hotel are happy with it now that it's built. We've provided 80 jobs for local people, we have good food and a lovely café. We have great facilities for visitors to the castle and already have bookings for 70 weddings."
Local resident Patrick Farrelly hasn't changed his mind, though. "I didn't want the hotel and now that it's built I still feel the same: it should have stayed as a car park." '
Liz Hunt, also from Trim, says however that she has been persuaded. "I did agree with those who objected. I still think it's too close to the castle, but it has created jobs in the town and that doesn't often happen around here.
The design is better than I thought it would be."
The hotel is marketing itself as a wedding venue: "With the incredible backdrop of Trim Castle and the rolling church lawn adjoining, weddings at Trim Castle Hotel are unique," its brochure says.
All of the rooms to the front have castle views, as has a large roof terrace. Its four storeys are stepped back from the street with just two storeys overlooking the pavement. The palette here is in variegated grey, with stone and limestone cladding. The stepped-back fourth floor is also in grey, in the form of standing-seam zinc sheeting.
It is the mass of yellow render that jars. From street level in front of the hotel the yellow isn't too noticeable - its full glory is seen from farther afield, such as from the castle grounds.
"Asking for a step-back has become the typical planner's response to such schemes," says Ian Lumley of An Taisce, which objected to the hotel.
Lumley visited the scheme when it was on site and hopes the finished design is better than what he saw then. Yet, he says, whatever the building looks like, it won't help the situation.
"Our issue was to do with scale of the building and its proximity to the castle, not minutiae of the design."
The stepping back and the careful use of materials were planning requirements, decided in conjunction with the design team, says architect Terry Kearney.
"The scale of the hotel along Castle Street was designed to be respectful to the castle and the beautiful terraced homes next door."
The hotel is not the only building in the castle's environs.
There is a yellow tourist office beside the castle with an ugly structure to its rear sitting up against the castle walls. The yellow of the hotel perhaps takes its lead from this office. It has also used similar materials - stone and zinc - to the sensitive extension to the nearby courthouse.
Despite the row that escalated to the level of then minister for the environment Martin Cullen, who "faced down efforts by his senior heritage officials to object to the hotel development", according to a recent report by Fiosrú an Phobail (Centre for Public Inquiry), the hotel is not shy about trading on its proximity to the castle, the church and gardens.
