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Dublin - Building Information Ireland - Page 2

Sep 30
2
Credit: 3D Design Bureau

Terenure Apartment Scheme gets go-ahead from An Bord Pleanála

By | Upcoming Construction Projects

An Bord Pleanála has approved plans to fast-track the development of a €106 million apartment scheme in Terenure, Co Dublin.

Construction is set to take place at the “Carlisle” site on Kimmage Road West, located to the north and east of Ben Dunne Gym, south of Captain’s Road, west of Brookfield Green and east of Park Crescent.

The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) by Lioncor Developments will consist of the construction of five blocks, ranging in heights of up to six storeys at their highest.

The blocks will provide 208 residential units, divided equally between one-beds and two-beds.

Every unit will have private balconies and terraces to the north, south, east and west elevations.

Current plans of the 208 apartments have 21 residential units allocated for social housing.

In the board inspector Paul O’Brien’s report for the case, he found that, subject to compliance, “the proposed development would constitute an acceptable residential density at this location, would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development”.

The report stated that despite the scheme’s high density, it would “provide for good residential amenity for future occupants whilst ensuring that existing residential amenity can be protected”.

Over 75 objections have been lodged against the scheme, including from residential groups – the Kimmage Dublin Residents’ Alliance, the Kimmage Road Residents’ Association and Terenure West Residents’ Association – and Sinn Fein TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

In his objection letter submitted last May, Mr Ó Snodaigh insisted that residents’ objections to the SHD were not ‘nimbyism’.

“Not one of the residents who contacted me in relation to this development argued against housing per se.”

He continued: “Nobody could say that the imposition of five blocks of six-storey apartments backing onto and overlooking the gardens of Dublin Corporation-built 1930s/40s two-storey homes is suitable, as is being proposed with the Carlisle development.”

He also objected to the price guide of the development, with Part V documentation lodged putting an indicative price of €668,155.

Aug 30
1
Credit: Digital Dimensions

Former City Arts Centre site could see the development of Ireland’s tallest building

By | Upcoming Construction Projects

Plans have been lodged with Dublin City Council which could see the development of Ireland’s tallest building.

Put forward by John Spain Associates on behalf of Ventaway Limited, the current application seeks ten-year planning permission to construct a building of up to 24 storeys (108.4 metres) in height over a double basement.

The application also seeks the destruction of all existing buildings on the site at the corner of City Quay and Moss Street – where the former City Arts Centre was previously located.

Keeping in touch with its roots, the plan sees an arts centre featured in the building, as well as offices, a gym and other ancillary uses.

The arts centre will be located at the basement, the ground and the first floor.

Meanwhile, the gym is projected to have an entry at ground level from Moss Street.

Dublin Tallest Building City Arts Centre

Plans have been lodged with Dublin City Council which could see the development of Ireland’s tallest building. Credit: Digital Dimensions

Offices will occupy from the ground to the 23rd floor (or 24th storey) with terraces to all elevations.

The double basement will provide parking spaces for 424 bicycles and 11 cars.

The overall gross floor area of the development sums up to 35,910 sq.m. including 1,404 sq.m. arts centre, 22,587 sq.m. office space and 244 sq.m. gym.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement have been prepared for the proposed development and have been submitted with the planning application.

The neon sign associated with the City Arts Centre is set to be kept and will be used at the entrance of the new development.

Current proposals see the development coming at just 10m higher than another building at planning stage — a 30-storey apartment building on Parkgate Street.

The City Arts Centre vacated the spot in 2003 and the site has had little activity since this departure.

Dublin Tallest Building City Arts Centre

Keeping in touch with its roots, the plan sees an arts centre featured in the building, as well as offices, a gym and other ancillary uses. Credit: Digital Dimensions

The organisation was set up in 1973 in response to a growing need for an art and culture centre for working-class teenagers living in the inner-city during a time of economic turmoil.

Although occupying a number of spaces during its lifespan, its Moss Street location was its most prolific.

Moving into the warehouse in 1988, the band U2 contributed to the centre and provided fully equipped rehearsal spaces for starting-up bands in the basement.

At the time, it was the largest centre of its kind in Ireland.

It was liquidated in 2012.

Aug 19
0

Dublin City Council gives go-ahead to two new Amazon data centres

By | Industry News

Amazon has been given the green light to construct two new data centres in north Dublin.

Last month, Dublin City Council approved an application by the tech giant to construct the two centres on a site in Clonshaugh Business and Technology Park.

To make way for construction, the former Ricoh building on the site will be demolished.

The new data centres will be held in new two-storey buildings, the first with a gross floor area of f12,875m² and the second with 1,445m².

Both centres will accommodate data halls, associated electrical and mechanical plant rooms, a loading bay, maintenance and storage space, office administration areas, with plant and solar panels at roof level.

The larger centre will also have two additional mezzanine levels.

A dozen emergency generators will be placed in adjoining compounds of each of the two data centres.

Amazon Web Services, a division of the corporation, already has a data centre on the same site.

The multinational has forecast that between 15 and 58 staff will be employed once construction is completed. Another 400 jobs are also estimated for the construction process.

Three objections have been made as concerns over energy capacity issues and the data centre’s contribution to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions have been raised.

Figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) found that data centres consumed 14% of Ireland’s electricity last year.

Angela Deegan and Eoin O Leidhin, on behalf of the environmental organisations Not Here Not Anywhere and Gluaiseacht respectively, were among the list of objectors.

In her objection letter, Ms Deegan wrote that although there are solar panels included, the planning application also features diesel emergency generators which will result in fossil fuels sometimes being used to power the centre.

“If the plant cannot be powered fully by renewable energy, it will lead to an increase in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions between now and 2030, contravening the Climate Act, Climate Action Plan and National Planning Framework,” she said in her letter.

Consultants for Amazon promised that the company was committed to building a sustainable business in its application.

They said that the company’s recently-operational wind farm in Galway would support the powering of its data centres in the country.

The multinational also referenced its net zero carbon emission by 2040 commitment, which sees the business to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2025.

South Dublin County Council recently voted to ban the development of any further data centres being built in its function area during the lifetime of its 2022 to 2028 development plan.

In response to this move, a High Court case has been brought forward by Echelon DC Holdings Limited.

The Government has also called on SDCC to reverse this prohibition.

Aug 11
0

Dublin City Council gives go-ahead for 11-storey hotel on Abbey Street

By | Industry News

Dublin City Council has approved the construction of an 11-storey hotel on the city centre’s Abbey Street.

The plan was submitted to the Council by Tom Phillips & Associates on behalf of Abbey Street DevCo Ltd.

The plan’s approval comes after An Bord Pleanala refused planning permission for a build-to-rent apartment scheme on the same site in December 2021.

Set to cost an estimated €74 million, it will have 252 bedrooms.

As well as the hotel, a 222-bed 10-storey aparthotel block will also be erected, which will front on Great Strand Street.

A reception area, a restaurant and bar, a lounge and a gym are included in current plans.

Dublin City Council has approved the construction of an 11-storey hotel on the city centre’s Abbey Street. Credit: Michael Collins Associates

Dublin City Council has approved the construction of an 11-storey hotel on the city centre’s Abbey Street. Credit: Michael Collins Associates

Two retail units are also envisioned for the ground floor, with an off licence area in the larger retail unit.

Giving the green light to the scheme, the city council also ordered the company to pay a planning contribution fee of €941,632.00 to the Planning Authority in respect of the LUAS C1 Line Scheme.

This amount is payable on commencement of construction.

Approving the hotel, the planner’s report stated that the development “would assist in the regeneration of a vacant site, and would provide for active uses onto Great Strand Street and Byrne’s Lane and create new connections between Great Strand Lane and Byrne’s Lane and potentially Abbey Cottages”.

The report continued: “… The proposed development would be in keeping with development plan provisions, and with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

The hotel received one objection from a Frank McDonald, who wrote in his six-page objection to the project that it “is just another glaring example of the incessant grinding of a mill bent on turning Dublin into an Anywhere City”.

Mar 22
0

Major construction of €62 million Palmerstown build-to-rent development begins

By | Industry News

Major construction has begun in Palmsterstown on a €62 million development that originally started site work last May.

The building of Block C and E of a strategic housing development at lands on Palmerstown Retail Park, Kennelsfort Road Lower, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 kicked off this month.

Although work originally began in May 28 last year, work on the first two blocks has only begun.

All in all, the development will see the creation of 250 “build to rent” apartments as well as a café and other residential facilities.

Block C will provide 47 of these apartments, 30 of which are one-beds and 17 which are two-beds.

The building will be six storeys high over a basement.

Palmerstown Build To Rent

Credit: Digital Dimensions

Block E, at eight storeys, will contain 63 apartments in total, 40 of which will be one-beds and 23 two-beds.

The development will consist of five blocks in total.

Block A will have 27 apartments ranging from three to six storeys over the basement and a communal roof garden on the third floor. Most apartments in the block will have both private balconies or terraces.

Block B is set to hold 46 apartments — comprising 18 one-beds and 28 two-beds at six storeys over the basement in height. All apartments will be provided with private balconies or terraces.

Palmerstown Build To Rent

Credit: Digital Dimensions

Block D will contain the most apartments with 67 at seven storeys in height. Of these dwellings, 33 will be one-beds and 34 will be two beds. Most apartments in this block will have private balconies or terraces.

The works will see the entire demolition of all existing structures on site.

The development will also include upgrades to vehicular and pedestrian/cyclist access to Kennelsfort Road Lower and landscaping consisting of play equipment and upgrades to the public realm.

While Randelswood Holdings Ltd submitted plans for the development, the McGrath Group is the main contractor of the project.

The property development group recorded profits of €5 million last year.

Palmerstown Build To Rent

Credit: McGrath Group

While work at the Palmerstown site began in 2021, commencements for that year remained static when compared to 2020.

The Building Information Index 2021 Q1-Q4 saw commencements stagnate at €10.5 billion – no change from 2020 and a 10% decrease from 2019.

However, cautious optimism is on the cards for the sector with residential planning applications up 54% in 2021.

This substantial rise is largely attributed to the number of Strategic Housing Development applications submitted in the later months of 2022.

Feb 24
0

New €10 million plan set to renovate historic Howth Castle

By | Industry News
Howth Castle

Credit: Darmody Architects

Howth Castle is set for a huge makeover with a €10 million plan submitted for its redevelopment.

In a joint application, WSHI Ltd. and the Michal J Wright Group submitted planning permission to Dublin’s Fingal County Council which could see the historic site transformed into a tourist hotspot.

The plan includes major restoration works alongside refurbishments and the construction of new buildings.

The development proposes the demolitions of some farm buildings as well as converting both the castle’s ground floors and the stable areas from primarily residential use to hospitality and tourist retail use.

In the stable area, a 150-seat glass pavilion restaurant is planned alongside both gin-making and cookery schools.

On the ground floor of the stable yard, a number of artisan retail stores are envisioned.

Meanwhile, within the main castle building, there are plans to change the use of the upper ground floor into tea rooms and a reception area.

On the lower ground floor, there will be a conversion of rooms to tea rooms, kitchens and storage areas.

No further works or changes have been made for the other floors of the castle other than a fire upgrade.

On the castle grounds and within the renowned walled gardens, there are intentions to construct a garden centre, a falconry and petting farm as well as picnic and play amenities

The erection of a temporary marquee and ancillary facilities for wedding events is also in current plans.

A pedestrian entrance is planned to open from The Howth Road along with schemes for 6km of walks and cycleways through the estate which aim to link Sutton and Howth.

These works will all be undertaken by a single management company which will cover the castle, the stable areas and attendant lands.

In a statement announcing the planning application, the Michael J Wright Group assured that the National Transport Museum will remain in the heart of the new development.

The project promises the creation of 150 new jobs when the redevelopment is completed, with 100 jobs during the construction phase.

Tetrarch Capital has owned the Howth Castle Estate since 2019 with the Michael J Wright Group now taking a 25-year lease.

The plans were submitted to the County Council on January 31 2022.

Feb 11
0

Beacon hospital gets green light for €23 million extension

By | Industry News

Credit: AO VIsuals

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) has approved the €23 million extension of the Beacon Hospital.

This development will see the demolition of the existing eight-storey Beacon Hotel, which was purchased by the hospital from John Malone’s MHL Collection hotel group in 2020.

It will include 70 new hospital beds as well as A&E facilities, oncology facilities and associated in-patient treatment rooms.

Ancillary administration offices and a staff and patient café are also in the proposed development plans.

In a report lodged with the application in August 2021, it was claimed that the private hospital was expecting to see 56,375 inpatient nights that year – a 30% increase from 2016.

Senior planner Orla Casey of Tom Phillips + Associates stated that the current design has “sought to balance the residential requirements of future occupants, patients
and staff in line with sustainable transport objectives, with the minimisation of any potential
impacts on the amenities of adjoining residential properties”.

On January 24, the DLCRR gave the green light to the extension, concluding that the development will not “detract from the amenities of the area and is consistent with the provisions of the current Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan”.

The go-ahead was granted despite numerous objections lodged, including by the 70 owners and tenants of the neighbouring Beacon One apartment complex.

Beacon One Management CLG had previously lodged an objection in September soon after planning applications were submitted.

Another submission was put forward in early January.

In the objections addressed to the local council, Beacon One Management CLG relayed their argument that their clients were not consulted on the proposed extension.

Brendan Buck, a director at BPS, affirmed that the development would make it impossible for his clients to access their apartments through the old hotel building — which clients had fought for in the High Court in 2019.

In another submission, Steven and Brid Ann Dag affirmed that the development would negatively impact their tenants both during and after construction work.

“Our tenant works from home and it is hard to see how he will be able to continue to work or even stay in the apartment with the level of noise, vibration and dust resulting from the proposed development work,” they said.

“The impact of noise and vibration will be intolerable for the tenant.”

Jan 25
0

New €80 million hotel at Dublin Airport gets the go-ahead

By | Upcoming Construction Projects

Dublin Airport is set to get a luxury new €80 million hotel.

Fingal County Council gave the green light to the first terminal-linked hotel at Dublin Airport this month.

It’s expected to become one of Ireland’s largest hotels and provide an estimated 550 local jobs.

Headed by UK hotel group Arora, the new building will be built right beside Terminal 2 and include pedestrian access to the entire first floor level of the T2 car park.

Planning permission was granted under the condition that Arora Dublin T2 Ltd pay €2.17 million in public infrastructure planning contributions to Fingal County Council.

The 11-storey hotel, with a total floor area of 30,566 square metres, will provide 410 bedrooms and include a large range of amenities including a leisure centre on the third floor – complete with a gym, a steam room, sauna and a jacuzzi.

On the top floor, provisions have been made for a penthouse bar and an executive lounge, both of which open onto south-facing roof terraces.

Dublin Airport Terminal 2 Hotel

Headed by UK hotel group Arora, the new building will be built right beside Terminal 2 and include pedestrian access to the entire first floor level of the T2 car park. Pic: Unum Partnership

On the ground floor, there are plans for 10 meeting rooms and a children’s play room while the first floor will provide an event/business space with five more meeting rooms.

Permission was also sought for the temporary use (five years) of two sites as construction compounds to serve the construction phase. 

Arora submitted plans to the council in May 2021 after it was selected by DAA through public tender process as the preferred operator.

Under this agreement, Arora will operate the hotel for 100 years until ownership reverts back to DAA.

This is the UK group’s first venture in Ireland, operating airport hotels in the likes of London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

The planning permission is subject to any appeal brought to An Bord Pleanála.

So far, one individual has objected to the council over the hotel application.

P Keenan from Carrickhill Heights, Portmarnock argued that “rather than more construction, a bit of judicious demolition is required on the Dublin Airport campus.”