Smithfield, Dublin
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I met a DCC planning colleague recently who is stressed out working on LAPs for areas such as Pelletstown and North Fringe…but this area (previously designated as HARP) and the Liberties must surely be the development priorities for the city as confidence returns to the construction sector. I am not talking about wholesale landbanking, demolition and shite rebuild as shown in your post exene1 but rather something approximating to regeneration that maintains and restores the essential character and quality of the area. Yet, to my knowledge the Forward Planning team in DCC don’t have this area on its radar. The Liberties has its unimplementable LAP of course (after a suggested €1m spent devising it!) but as yet there is no up to date ‘action plan’ for Smithfield. Things will just happen as they will. A h.uge amount of NAMA sites around here I’d warrant
Okay, so perhaps somewhat on the radar :eh: :eh:
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL PLANS TO CREATE JOBS AND NEW HOMES ON VACANT SITES IN THE CITY.
BROWNFIELD REGENERATION EUROPEAN EXPERTS COME TO DUBLIN WITH EXAMPLES OF EUROPEAN BEST PRACTICE
From Monday May 21st to Thursday, 24th May, Dublin City Council will lead planning experts from eleven European countries who are in Dublin on a series of professional workshops on how best to regenerate “brownfield” lands in the City; abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use, including derelict sites, sites left empty as a result of businesses moving out of premises, in-fill sites that would improve the local area if they were developed sensitively and public spaces that would benefit an area if they were regenerated. Dublin City Council is a working with partners from 11 different countries, including Northern Ireland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Austria, in a 3-year Interregional Cooperation Programme Interreg IVC Brownfield Convention project. The overall objective of the programme is “to improve regional policies influencing Brownfield redevelopment through transfer of best practice”.
According to John Tierney, Dublin City Manager, there are an estimated 200 or more “brownfield” sites between the canals of all different shapes and sizes “There is a necklace of underutilised sites along the LUAS Red Line alone, extending from the inner city as far out as the Naas Road”, he said, “and there are enormous opportunities for developing innovative policies on brownfield development and re-use throughout the city”.
Prominent brownfield sites in the city include CIE site opposite the Jervis Centre, the Fishmarket at Mary’s Lane, an OPW site at Hammond Lane, the former Distillers Premises, Smithfield, and the former Dulux Factory on Davitt Road. Newmarket in the Liberties is a public space in need of regeneration and one that the European experts will visit and give any insights they have, as a result of similar successfully regenerated sites in their cities. The City Manager is convinced that “the successful turnaround of brownfield sites depends on a buy–in, with the owners, with local businesses and with local people to see if there are opportunities to move ahead with improving or regenerating any of the sites”.
“With regeneration comes possibilities for increased investment in infrastructure in the city and associated job creation opportunities”, noted John Tierney. “The successful and sustainable turnaround of Brownfield sites is vital to the creation of a quality European City. This EU programme is one where Dublin can contribute to and learn from our European colleagues”.
Of special interest to Dublin is its partnership with Belfast City Council, and their recent successful experience in Brownfield regeneration, with the Titanic Quarter.
Dublin’s Lord Mayor Andrew Montague is firmly of the view that Dublin will learn from each of our E.U. partner’s successes and experiences, which will influence, and improve the City Council’s policies on tackling some of the more difficult, long-term derelict and vacant sites.
“The visit by the eleven European experts this week presents an opportunity to examine how our Brownfield lands can be integrated with surrounding local infrastructure, such as public transport, schools and public parks,” says Lord Mayor Andrew Montague. “The workshops will analyse some of Dublin’s more successful Brownfield renewal projects such as Temple Bar in the 1990’s and Dublin Docklands, which now includes a new residential quarter, and landmarks such as the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, the Samuel Beckett Bridge and Google HQ.
“Following exposure to Dublin’s Brownfield Sites, the EU partners will act as a think-tank in workshops, to set forward innovative ideas and best practice examples which could be transferred to Dublin’s study sites. As a consequence, Dublin City Council aspires to transfer the relevant data into future Brownfield regeneration projects, ultimately resulting in the creation of jobs and new homes in the city, and also reducing the pressure for unsustainable sprawl outside our city” the Lord Mayor concluded.
ENDS
For further information
Dublin City Council Press Office T. (01) 222 2107,
And reported in today’s Irish Times
COUNCIL TO ACT ON 200 DERELICT SITES
AN INITIATIVE to put some 200 vacant, abandoned or derelict sites in Dublin city back into productive use is being developed by Dublin City Council.
Planning experts from nine different European countries are in Dublin this week to advise on how best to address the capital’s growing numbers of “brownfield” sites which have become a blight on the city.
Brownfield lands – commercial and industrial sites which have fallen into disuse or become derelict – had become a major problem in the city up to the 1980s when tax incentives were introduced for their redevelopment.
Such incentives were instrumental in the renewal of Temple bar and the Dublin Docklands. The economic boom years also increased development of former industrial sites in the centre of the city.
However, the abrupt end to the boom has left a legacy of new brownfield sites as properties were bought and often demolished by developers who then ran out of money to build on the land.
City planner John O’Hara said site owners and the council needed to take a step back from the grand projects of the boom which were no longer practicable and look at realistic short and medium-term uses of the land.
“We have seen the large plots that were granted permission in the excitement of the boom that are now vacant or underused sites. In places where le grand project has fallen flat on its face everything has ground to a halt.”
The larger the site the bigger the problem posed as banks were unlikely to release substantial funds for their redevelopment. However, smaller-scale uses were an option for these sites such as “hot desking”, where sole traders and start-up businesses can rent short-term office space, or the use of vacant plots for markets or arts and events spaces.
“The idea is to keep an area buoyant, to put a space back on people’s mental map, maybe through small-scale shops or residential use. It’s not to say that all big projects are bad, but we need to kick-start the use of the land if confidence is to be restored. And that includes the confidence of the banks,” said Mr O’Hara.
The council would be approaching the owners of all 200 sites and offering to write design briefs for them, with which they can then approach banks or estate agents.
The council had fallen foul of the hubris of the boom with grand plans which were no longer achievable.
“Newmarket Square is a failure. The Liberties Local Area Plan had in mind offices and a hotel and residential development for the square. That isn’t going to happen now, at least not in the immediate future,” said Mr O’Hara.
However, he added that the square did offer opportunities for smaller more considered development, such as the Sunday flea market which had already started, and potential for collaboration with the nearby National College of Art and Design.
The square is one of the brownfield sites which the European planners will be asked to consider this week.
Other prominent locations identified as needing intervention include the former CIÉ site on Upper Abbey Street, the Fishmarket at Mary’s Lane and an Office of Public Works site at Hammond Lane.
Irish TimesI wonder if the 100 buildings at risk mentioned last week are included in this list? Or is there some overlap at least? What do you reckon our planner cousins from Europe will think of the declining quality of Dublin city centre?
Smithfield almost complete….
Still faffing around with the services pavillion thingy but otherwise the space has been returned to the city albeit now surrounded by these swanky new beech hedges in planters.
Annoyingly, you can wander about and spot plenty of small patches of tarmac or missing pavoirs in the original section. A bit of snagging wouldn’t have gone amiss.
In addition to the southern section of the square, a number of the adjoining streets such as Haymarket and New Church Avenue have been cobbled and repaved.
The scheme extends down May Lane towards the City Markets area (hopefully next on the list)
This London-style rank of pointless bollards unfortunately left in place. And that bloody fencing.
I like the new LED lights here.
The new Generator Hostel on the square was buzzing this afternoon. Seems to be doing a roaring trade. Unfortunately, tourists from the hostel are the main footfall on the square. Hopefully that will change….lots of empty shops to fill.
Tesco have just been granted permission from Dublin City Council for a new store on the square at Units 18-19…formerly The Complex. The decision awaits a final grant.
The off-licence of the store element was removed.
I love this ‘unambiguous’ condition
7. Security roller shutters and their casing, if installed, shall be recessed behind the perimeter glazing and shall be factory finished in a single colour to match the colour scheme of the building. Such shutters shall be of the ‘open lattice’ type and shall not be used for any form of advertising, unless authorised by a further grant of planning permission Reason: In the interests of visual amenity
Its obviously up to you guys whether to create a dreadful dead frontage at night.
Details of the proposed signage and frontage http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00370038.pdf
@StephenC wrote:
This London-style rank of pointless bollards unfortunately left in place. And that bloody fencing.
Came across a response by the City Manager to a councillor requesting the removal of this fencing:
Due to the design of the building with numerous nooks and crannies the harris fencing is preventing rough sleeping, loitering, dumping and anti-social behavior. It also allows Gardaí and security staff to see if anyone is in behind the fencing. Although its appearance is not aesthetically pleasing it is serving its function and it would be better to leave it in place until the building is occupied, than to have it removed or replaced with a hoarding.
Apparently this is the photograph that the New York Times used to depict Dublin in their 46 places to visit in 2013 travel guide.
The tag line was ‘The emerald isle reaches out with an ancestral celebration’, a reference to The Gathering, about which, more later.
Not a lot of ‘ancestral celebration’ evident in the streetscape presentation, as currently being discussed on Joe Duffy. Tourism heads might cringe at the picture choice, but this was an accident waiting to happen, they could have taken shots in Thomas Street or James Street, with the same streetscape horror show.
I saw this too on Twitter a few days back. Shocking picture to use and really unfortunate for the powers that be who like to present that I need to go I need to get away from everything’ view of the city. But you make a valid point of course.
What about that classic view of the Ha’penny Bridge…with that monstrous canopy over the door. Its been brought to the attention of so many city officials but none of them care to be frank.
Or think of The Dubline…Dublin’s emerging high quality tourist trail. Look at Dame Street. A parade of takeaways and pubs at this stage. I see a Subway going into the Londis close to College Green…the handy way of getting a fastfood operator in without needing to fuss about with planning permission. Elsewhere on the street kebabs, chinese buffets, chipshops, dubious burger bars, etc abound. You would be hard pushed to find an actual shop. I imagine the next step is less and less daytimes uses as nighttime becomes more lucrative.
All this along what should be one of the city’s premier streets.Smithfield in 1999, two makeovers ago:
There’ll be another one in 2020.
Rationale: “The 2011 scheme is considered to have introduced a busy variety of elements and textures into the 17th century square. The current scheme sees to re-establish the original open character of the market place with a consistent, uniform treatment across the ground plane.” lolol
Sure this is happening everywhere now. With impunity. The Planning Department such that it remains, has totally given up on even a semblance of enforcing the planning code in the city. It is the ultimate non-department.
This fantasy in plastic on Capel Street (an ACA)
However, we must ask the question. What can be done differently. The problem is so pervasive and most businesses would now see it as an intrusion to require planning to ‘upgrade’ their premises, particularly in the current environment.
No one can agree on good design, no one can agree on what colours works and what don’t, no one can control what premises are doing on a daily basis. In most instances painters etc will be in and out before anyone has even realised. No one can control the laminated plastic industry that has grown as fast as the traditional shopfront practitioners have declined.
The planning system is a also problem. Its far too complicated and expensive to get permission for shopfront changes. It should be simpler…but with clear rules as to what you can and cannot do. The City Council’s guidelines need to be revised and made more accessible. In this age of the ubiquitous web this stuff should be all online.
@StephenC wrote:
No one can agree on good design, no one can agree on what colours work and what don’t, no one can control what premises are doing on a daily basis.
I know Stephen, all true. But one thing is for sure: poor quality is generating poor quality. The previous Gorta front, also installed without permission in the late noughties, led to the crude plastic ‘Trimmings’ shop fascia (just out of your picture on the left) being erected a year or so ago next door at 137 Capel Street, a Prot. Struc. The new gorta front is an Even Worse version of the previous one.
Likewise original 19th century shopfront consoles replaced without permission some time ago by crude oversized ‘traditional style’ ones by Ryan’s pub, 5 Queen Street, a Prot. Struc. (documented on ‘Shopfront Race to Bottom’ thread) led to the similar crude consoles erected today at 4 Queen Street. Same thing replicated across the city as you say.
While on Queen Street an honourable mention must go the Dice Bar opposite. In contrast to the crapfest of Ryan’s pub and Bargaintown, their signage is tastefully set with the historic shopfront fascia and architectural character of the overall building well maintained.
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