Change of use for a cafe

pagalmaria

Hi guys,

I'm opening a cafe in Dublin and have seen a few shell units which I'm interested in. I've a few questions that the Planning Department in Dublin City Council could not answer because they don't engage in general questions and will only tell you after you've applied for a specific place! Apparently because "every Tom, Dick and Harry would be onto them all the time".

I've to put a new kitchen unit in, I know I need a special form to apply for that but what I need to know before I even apply for any permission and get myself tied into a lease with a landlord is, does the unit need to have an emergency exit if I am to have a kitchen in it? The agent I'm dealing with doesn't know and Dublin City Council advised me to get professional opinion, ie. an architect. I will eventually need that but I want to keep my initial costs down before I'm told that there's no point. The unit doesn't have any room for an emergency door either.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Maria

Reputable Rog

pagalmaria wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm opening a cafe in Dublin and have seen a few shell units which I'm interested in. I've a few questions that the Planning Department in Dublin City Council could not answer because they don't engage in general questions and will only tell you after you've applied for a specific place! Apparently because "every Tom, Dick and Harry would be onto them all the time".

I've to put a new kitchen unit in, I know I need a special form to apply for that but what I need to know before I even apply for any permission and get myself tied into a lease with a landlord is, does the unit need to have an emergency exit if I am to have a kitchen in it? The agent I'm dealing with doesn't know and Dublin City Council advised me to get professional opinion, ie. an architect. I will eventually need that but I want to keep my initial costs down before I'm told that there's no point. The unit doesn't have any room for an emergency door either.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Maria

I think your best bet would be to talk to the building control department of DCC, emergency exits are not a planning matter.

Angry bird

Fire cert and disability access cert required. Appropriately qualified person you hire will advice in this which may have planning implications. Also health and safety requirements re preparation of food, storage etc. Building control section of Council may be able to provide advice. Previously permitted use might have done much of this work for you.

pagalmaria

There was nothing there before, it's completely empty. The agent didn't know about any permissions. The only thing I know is that the landlord will get plumbing and electricity fitted in prior to renting it out. I've emailed the Building Control section so will wait and see what they say. Thanks for the information.

Gumbo

You need to get planning for change of use depending on what the current use is allowed.

You say you want to keep initial costs down but the fact is that you need the architect for the fire cert and DAC so why not get the ball rolling now and they will advise on the emergency exit.

The shell will have a fire cert already so you need someone that knows what the current allowable use for the shell is.

If you want to pm the the address or location I can try help out.