Planning refused for Ha'Penny mixed-use scheme due to impact on Liffey Quays
Gordon Deegan
Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for an eight-story mixed use scheme close to the 1815 Ha’Penny bridge due to its impact on the historic setting of the ‘iconic and unique’ Liffey Quays.
Earlier this year, SRM Book and Cook Ltd, which operates the Woollen Mills Eating House restaurant at Ormond Quay, lodged plans for the eight-storey development mainly made up of apartments.
In response, the operator of The Grand Social night venue, Taurus Management Consultancy Ltd along with An Taisce and Cllr Mannix Flynn (Ind) objected to the scheme.
Now, in a comprehensive refusal, the Council has stated that the proposed development due to its scale, height and massing constitutes an over-bearing, excessive and inappropriate form of development “in the context of the historic setting of the Liffey Quays which is iconic and unique to the built heritage of the Inner City”.
Sensitive site
The Council also concluded that the development “would result in significant over-development of this sensitive site to the rear of The Woollen Mills, a Protected Structure”.
The Council also found that the proposed eight-storey building “would cause serious injury to the amenity, legibility, special architectural character and setting of the Protected Structure and would cause serious injury to the visual amenities and presentation of the Liffey Quays Conservation Area”.
The Council concluded that the scheme would set an undesirable precedent for development within and adjacent to historic buildings and protected structures within a Conservation Area.
The planning authority also concluded that the proposed development, due to its height, scale and massing would constitute a visually jarring building and adversely impact key views and vistas along the river corridor, the amenities of the protected structure and those within the Liffey Quays Conservation Area.
The SRM Book and Cook Ltd proposal consisted of six three-bed apartments, a two-bedroom penthouse unit and a restaurant at ground floor level.
The Grand Social
In a submission lodged by Brock McClure on behalf of Taurus Management Consultancy, Suzanne McClure argued that the scheme “would have a profoundly negative impact on The Grand Social and its ongoing commercial viability”.
Performers to appear at The Grand Social since it opened its doors in 2010 include Primal Scream, Jake Bugg, Kevin Rowland, Michael Kiwanaku, Picture This, Damien Dempsey, Bell X1and Roisín Ó.
Ms McClure contended that the mixed use scheme represents over-development and would detract from the quality of the public realm being developed by the city council.
Ms McClure argued that the proposed scheme “represents an inefficient and speculative proposal” and would have a material negative impact on surrounding properties.
Ms McClure further argues that the scheme “is unacceptable” and “would give rise to an undesirable precedent being set in this area”.
Dublin City Planning Officer with An Taisce, Kevin Duff has told the council that “the Liffey Quays is of great cultural significance in the historical development and evolution of the city”.
Mr Duff stated that this “is the wrong place for a pop-up tower”.
