Re: Re: Dublin skyline

Graham, the reason this has been overlooked is simply because this talk from the DDDA about tall “landmarks” is a relatively recent change of tune probably in response to the rising criticism of their model of development. In the fifteen or so years they’ve been in charge, they’ve managed to cover the most of the prime development locations in the docklands with suburban office park style blocks and boring monolithic appartment blocks none of which rise above six stories. It’s bit of a cop out to now claim that this horrible pattern of development was part of a grand plan. Their earlier documents made it explicit that they would not tolerate tall buildings. It’s an dreadful wasted opportunity. Their neanderthal planning model has created the economic conditions which encourages sprawling development (City West, Park West, et. al were all started after the DDDA were handed responsibility for the docks) and is also now putting pressure on the rest of Dublin to accomodate high buildings in inappropriate areas. They have singularly failed to create an URBAN area when a cursory look at other cities that have developed new self sustaining urban areas whould have shown them how to do this. They deserve all the criticism they get. No-one will ever again have the opportunity to implement a grand plan in Dublin unless they reclaim huge chunks of Dublin bay and even then it will be like some American city where the new “downtown” is five miles away from the traditional centre. They’ve blown it big time.