Dawson Street Area

[GrahamH]

It regularly fascinates me how structures, streetscapes and even building typologies that failed to make it into Frank McDonald's The Destruction of Dublin quite literally vanished from the public consciousness - testament, no doubt, to the comprehensiveness of that work. This intriguing stretch on Nassau Street, though alluded to by Frank in the form of its replacement - Nassau House and Norwich Union House - is one such example. I too have some images of the middle of the terrace displaying a variety of Victorian commercial confections that are worth digging out - the largest possibly being built for the Alliance Assurance Company.

On other news, there are two significant planning applications currently live for restaurant/café/bar/superpub uses on Dawson Street - one in the basement and rear church of the largest terraced town house on the thoroughfare at Number 8 (next to the former Waterstones), and another to all the floors and basement of the former Twohigs Travel premises at the other end of the street and across the road at Number 31. The latter has a delicate late Regency exterior that belies possible earlier origins, with a corner chimneybreast to the rear room.

Both have gone to substantial further information on architectural heritage and operating use grounds, suggesting the lack of pre-planning consultations. It never fails to amaze me how major projects get lobbed in cold to the planning system - frankly, there should be some form of requirement to engage in pre-planning for certain types of development to avoid wasting everyone's time.

[StephenC]

Planner probably feels making time for a preplanning is a waste of his/her time...tea breaks to be had.

[thebig C]

Hey Graham, if you could dig out some photos that would be great. I will try to take a picture of the photo in The Porterhouse as I will be in the area on Wednesday.

Its true, there is always much outrage at the passing of anything Georgian. However, Victorian architecture is often swept aside without a murmer. Which is odd when you consider how comparitively rare Victoriana is in Dublin.

C