Wiggins Teape
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Docomomo is an international organisation that campaigns for the recognition of 20th century architecture of quality. It’ s Irish representative is Shane O’ Toole, an occasional corresponent on this forum and architectural correspondent of the Sunday Times. The official address is:
Docomomo,
8 Merrion Square,
Dublin 2. -
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As with all unlisted buildings, planning permission is not required for the demolition of the Wiggins Teape building.
Dublin Corporation decided to grant planning permission on April 19, 2000 to Collen Group Ltd to redevelop this site, including demolition of the building, with the exception of part of the central entrance/portico. [Reg Ref 0266/00]
The artist James Hanley, who is a local resident, appealed this decision to An Bord Pleanala on May 17 and on June 15 DOCOMOMO made an observation to the Board in support of his appeal. [PL 29N.119524]
The architect of this building was John Stevenson (1890-1950) of Samuel Stevenson & Sons, Belfast. The firm, which was established in 1886, is still in practice. Stevenson, who was president of the RSUA from 1939 until 1943, was a regular visitor to Dublin, where he also designed the wonderful functionalist building that was Boland’s Bakery – stripped back to its structure and reclad some years ago, to become the Treasury Building on Lower Grand Canal Street. Stevenson’s obituary in the RIAI Yearbook records that he led an AAI site visit to Bolands, then under construction, just months before his death.
The Wiggins Teape building was built in 1931 for the Gallaher tobacco group. The EIS that accompanies the planning application states that “a number of similar buildings were built in Dublin at this time, due to the operation of protective tariffs on tobacco [John Player & Son in Glasnevin, H D Wills on the South Circular Road]… It was originally named Virginia House, but the changing economic conditions of the 1930s meant a transfer of ownership to Fry Cadbury, who renamed it Alexanda House… The building was acquired by Wiggins Teape in 1965 and renamed Gateway House.”
The facade to East Wall Road includes one of the earliest known uses here of reconstituted stone, and for that reason alone would be of importance. But Stevenson was also steeped in classical architecture and this is evident in the skillful massing, composition and detail of the facade – the design of which, it appears, may even have been ordered by the use of regulating lines or proportioning systems.
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Article in today’s Irish Times http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/property/2000/1116/prop9.htm
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This points up a disgraceful loophole in the planning laws which must be closed. In this case the development was refused because the factory was of architectural significance, but wasn’t listed (according to RTE). Once the development is back out of the planning process the developer demolishes the unlisted building and – hey presto – no more planning problem, time for a new application without that pesky building.
How spiteful is that? What was it, planning decision Thursday, a morning to assess options, an afternoon to find a demolition contractor and demolish the next day? Speedy.
Surely this demolition is unauthorised development? Does anybody know?
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Factory demolished despite An Bord Pleanala finding
By Frank McDonald, Environment Editor
The Bloomsday demolition of a 1930s neo-classical factory in Dublin took place just three days after An Bord Pleanála said it should be retained. Artist James Hanley had successfully appealed against the Collen Group’s plans to replace the landmark Wiggins Teape building on the East Wall Road with an office development. A member of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Cultural Relations Committee, he said yesterday he was “in shock” over its bulldozing. Contacted yesterday, Mr Martin Glynn, a director of the Collen Group, was not prepared to discuss the demolition. He had earlier told RTÉ that the company was “perfectly within its rights” to do what it did, as the building was unlisted and “dangerous”. Built in 1931 for the Gallaher tobacco company, it was designed by Belfast architect John Stevenson. He was also responsible for Boland’s Bakery on Lower Grand Canal Street, which is now the Treasury Building.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2001/0618/hom11.htm -
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Does anyone know of an illegally-demolished building that has ever actually been rebuilt? Is the Archers rebuild happening?
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Whatever you might think about what was done, it was not illegal. Because this office/industrial building was not listed, planning permission was not required for its demolition, only for the building that was to replace it.
Planning permission is required where development takes place. Illogically, Irish planning law does not include demolition of non-listed, non-residential buildings within the definition of what constitutes development. What is needed is no more than a very simple change in the law, a small extension of the definition of development. As with, for example, small house extensions, classes of minor or inconsequential demolition could easily be scheduled by regulation to constitute exempted development. I can see no reason why such a change in the law should add to delays in development or significantly increase costs or overbuden the planning system.
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East Wall scheme allowed
COLLEN Group has been granted planning permission for a 28,116 sq m office development at East Wall Road. The proposed development will be in five blocks ranging in height from one storey over ground floor level to five stories over ground floor. The scheme includes 296 car spaces.
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=51&si=742859&issue_id=7316
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