Vote on Dun Laoghaire baths site plans

The future of the derelict Dún Laoghaire baths site will be decided this evening when Dún Laoghaire Rathdown county councillors vote on two development proposals.

One of the developments under consideration is a 104-bedroom hotel and thalasso (seawater) spa, by Bennett Construction. The second proposal, by the Pierse Group, is a 60-unit "apart-hotel", comprising office and retail space.

Tonight's vote goes ahead against the backdrop of strong opposition from many locals who believe the site should be restored to its former glory and opened as a public amenity accessible to all.

The baths complex dates back to 1843 when it was developed as the Royal Victorian Baths. It was later redeveloped as Kingstown Baths between 1905 and 1911. It closed in the 1980s when it became too expensive to maintain. Its condition has steadily deteriorated since then.

Residents opposing the two mooted schemes say they intend to protest outside Dún Laoghaire town hall between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. this evening, when councillors are due to vote on the controversial proposals.

On Saturday around 400 people staged a protest on the seafront in DúLaoghaire to voice their opposition to the plans. Saturday's protest was organised by the Save Our Seafront Campaign.

Mr Richard Boyd-Barret, the campaign's convenor, said neither of the developments before the council is suitable for the site. Both schemes would lead to the effective privatisation of the seafront with everybody but the wealthy denied access to the facility, he said.

"The truth is that the baths were run down deliberately so they could hand them over to developers to make big money. They also want to turn the whole of Dún Laoghaire seafront into an exclusive playground for the wealthy and privileged," he said.

"If [the council] get their way there will be no seafront left for the public in the harbour and surrounding area. Even the council's own coastal development plan stated that the site should be developed primarily as a public amenity. It also stated that it should not reach over three storeys and must respect the character of the 19th-century buildings."

A local woman, who preferred not to be named, said the council's plans "are a disgrace". "A lot of people out here would rather see the baths demolished completely and the site left empty than have a big development. The two proposals are completely out of character with the area."

The Pierse Group's proposal, designed by architects Burke-Kennedy Doyle and Partners, includes a multi-faceted glazed tower with a sail-like profile. The tower, at 65 metres, would be higher than Liberty Hall in the city centre. It features an indoor "street," which would include restaurants, retail units and parking beneath for 55 cars.

The Bennett scheme includes an indoor sea-water swimming pool, with associated spa treatment facilities, as well as a public pool in a small lagoon which would be protected from the sea by a breakwater.

Both the Pierse and Bennett proposals have been shortlisted from a list of 14 development proposals for the site across from the People's Park. The council will receive annual payments from the successful scheme in return for making the site available.

Tax incentives and a renewed interest in health spas and seaweed baths resulted in a high level of interest from developers.

The Save the Seafront Campaign has repeatedly called for all of the plans rejected by the council to be made public. To date, the council has refused to grant the request.