A nine storey hotel has been given the go-ahead to be built above the Arnotts department store.

Noel Smyth's Fitzwilliam Real Estate has been granted permission to begin work on the iconic store after Dublin City Council came to the conclusion that the project will "will contribute to the regeneration and will have a positive impact on the surrounding area." They also noted that the work required to make the building appeal to big spenders is "unlikely to impact negatively on the amenities of properties in the vicinity." The project by Fitzwilliam Real Estate is set to involve two storeys with setbacks over Arnotts and an additional three story design with setbacks over Arnotts' multistorey car park. 145 parking spaces as the top three open-air levels of the multistorey car park are set to be demolished in the process. This news comes after the DCC originally had denied the company's first proposal for a 12 storey 159-unit build-to-rent scheme back in January. According to documents from Fitzwilliam Real Estate, the organisation owns Arnotts "air rights" and allows for them to apply for the above portion of the build. Planning consultants for the hotel firm, Tom Phillips + Associates, have said that the operator for the build will be Ruby Hotels, with spokesperson Síne Kelly saying that the hotel organisation is established in Europe already, operating 15 hotels.

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