Officials had twice ruled out singer’s applications as being out of order Hozier's plans for guest accommodation at his home have hit a snag. Photo: Getty Singer-songwriter Hozier may not be feeling “too sweet” on the country’s planning laws after he was forced to scale down plans for new guest accommodation at his Wicklow home in a bid to secure planning permission. Consultants acting for the music star have lodged details of changes to his original plans to build a two-storey, two-bedroom guest lodge and gym at his home at Oldfort, Newcastle, Co Wicklow.
The planning application also provides for the construction of an adjoining structure for a recreation space and storage as well as a new wastewater treatment system. It further proposes to demolish existing storage and machinery sheds on the property, which a planning consultant representing the 34-year-old singer claimed were “in very poor condition, suffering from both damp and structural issues and are no longer fit for purpose”. “The new structure will provide our client with dry, safe and energy-efficient accommodation ancillary to the main house,” the consultant said.
Changes to the proposed development, including a reduction in the size of the lodge, have now been made by Hozier following a request for further information from Wicklow County Council in order to address concerns raised by planning officials. In particular, the singer – whose full name is Andrew Hozier Byrne – was asked to justify his need for ancillary buildings not related to agricultural use of such a scale in a rural area. Hozier, from Bray, was also asked to clarify the intended use of the proposed recreational space and whether significant numbers of members of the public would be using it.
In response, Hozier’s planning consultant said the total floor area had been reduced by 81sqm to 237sqm so that the development now largely sits on the existing footprint of the original buildings. Hozier had previously secured planning permission in 2016 for a swimming pool and sauna at his home The council was also informed that the recreational space would be used for “watching films, playing indoor sports, etc, solely by the applicant or with small groups of friends”. Hozier said the guest accommodation would not be open to members of the public “at any point”.
The council had also told the singer that it was unlikely to grant him planning permission for the guest accommodation because it did not represent “a necessary dwelling” in a rural area and would be contrary to the settlement strategy of the Wicklow County Development Plan 2022-2028. However, Hozier’s consultant replied that the accommodation was required for an on-site worker responsible for the upkeep and the maintenance of lands and buildings at Oldfort. The council was told that the design of the guest lodge had been revised to contain one bedroom with associated living space which would total 52sqm over two levels.
The singer has also omitted the proposed new wastewater treatment system and some brickwork on the suggestion of the council, which pointed out they would not be compliant with various guidelines. Archaeological and arboriculture reports about the impact of the proposed development were also commissioned by Hozier at the request of the council. The current application is the third time that the composer of the hit single Take Me to Church has applied for planning permission for the same development in the space of 12 months, after council officials declared two previous applications were invalid.
They pointed out that a site notice did not contain details of the singer’ agent, while on the other occasion the local authority said the failure to refer to the proposed installation of a new waste-water treatment system on a public notice would be deemed to be “misleading”. A ruling on the latest application for planning permission for the guest lodge is due early next month. Hozier had previously secured planning permission in 2016 for a swimming pool and sauna at his home, which he had bought the previous year for €786,000.
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