PLANNING APPLICATION FOR RETENTION OF THE MARQUEE AT THE HAVEN

PLANNING APPLICATION FOR RETENTION OF THE MARQUEE AT THE HAVEN

The Haven Hotel has been owned and run by the Kelly family since 1964.

Over the years the business has had to adapt to keep its doors open.

The tourist season in Dunmore East was too short to sustain the business all year round as the running costs of maintaining such an old listed building are very high, and the hotel was only able to stay open six months a year.

In 2016 we decided to promote The Haven as a wedding venue. However, the smaller weddings that The Haven traditionally attracted are few and far between so a marquee positioned in the gardens of the hotel seemed the ideal solution to:
a. test the water to see if weddings are a viable option, and,
b. to increase business to a point where enough funds can be raised to build on or adjacent to the existing building

As the marquee is not up all year round we were unaware that we needed to apply for planning permission.
However, a complaint from a neighbour to Waterford City & County Council necessitated us to apply for retention planning permission for the marquee.

Waterford City & County Council has declined this application.
We are therefore submitting a new planning application.

The addition of this facility has not only benefitted The Haven as a business; it has:
• provided employment opportunities for 46 locals at the hotel;
• increased visitor numbers and bookings for local businesses year-round;
• dramatically increased orders to existing suppliers and provided business opportunities to new suppliers;
• provided a facility for local community use in the absence of sufficient community facilities in Dunmore East.