urbanisto
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Dreadful news…but hey bad decisions are being made in the Planning Dept everyday! What harm can another one do. Still at least the shite on top will be constructed under the watchful eye of a “conservation architect”, which is good news.
My big bear bug about this quarter is the complete absence of any greenery to soften the scheme. It is very cold and sterile down there as you say hutton and particularly so in Winter. Once again white granite wins the day. The lighting is also quite unambitious. Yellow sodium lamps…hmmm. This area is crying out for some good optics and lighting effects to add a bit of vitality at night.
I lean towards the view that adding floors to existing structures should be allowed although I think both the above are particularly poor efforts. I have also seen the new build (rebuilds) on Grand Canal Street and I agree they look very well. I think a lot of the run of the mill Georgian and Victorian commercial stock would benefit from sympathetic treatment. It would rejuenate unused buildings and help to build up the city streetscapes. This is already starting to happen (Amiens Street is a case in point) and some clean design guidelines from the planning authority are needed to ensure that a high stadard is adhered to.
bolak77 – the making of all development plans and local area plans is a reserve function of the Council of a local authority. The plans are drafted by the Executive (Manager and his/her Planning officials) but are enacted bx the elected members. Consequently they can only be changed (or materially altered) by the elected members.
There was a local area plan drawn up for this area including preserving and opening up the remaining section of the City Walls to public access. It was recently on public display in Civic Offices. It calls for: new development on Castle Street, the corner site of Castle and Lord Edwards St, replacing the Peace Garden, and various other sites on Bride St and some former abbey lands (cant think of the name). It was quite comprehensive if a little overly-architectural and diffcult to assess from a practical point of view. The works around the Cathedral involved low level buildings on the High Street side of the cathedral (for use by the cathedral I think ) and more extensive low-level building on the redundant land around the two bunker buildings of the Civic Offices. I also note that the present DC Development Plan mentions the development of a new Dublin Civic Museum.
I wonder whats wrong with the old building – why is it closed, what will happen to the building, etc. And I just wonder where the funds for all these new museums are coming from? The City Hall crypts are already museum, a Rising museum is planned on Moore St and the GPO, now this, plus the usual more dubious museums being tacked onto every substantial new development in need of a cultural element (Point Village
Of course Spar (and its ilk) is never too far away…there is a large one just at the Jervis entrance to Blooms Quarter
A valid point about the poor maintenance regimes for areas not within flagship regeneration areas, Interestingly the whole Dockland area seems to remain well maintained….no lumps of tarcmac or broken street furniture. Is there something more to this.
Of course we have had a similar story to this with the lamps on OC Bridge. Hardly been reinstated after restoration when the lamps were replaced in a halfhazard manner with white and orange bulbs. Thanksfully someone noticed and we are back to all white again.
But its not as pretty a picture as you paint on OC St. Last time I was there the lump outside Supermacs was still unrepaired and I will wager a bet it will remain that way.Without doubt a proper upgrade and refurb of the bridge should follow directly on from the main street works. Perhaps in tandem with works to Parnell Sq due to start later this year.
I dont imagine for a minute that the creation of a new port at Bremore would not be fraught with problems but it should be considered as part of the greater plan. The creation of a new port could relieve both Dublin and Drogheda of their port activities and all the resultant traffic problems and loss of amenity these incur. It would make more logical use of the road structure that is developing in the region. The very fact that the outer ring road as not been decided is a positive thing as it allow new road development to be considered in tandem with land use. However undoubtably the North Dublin landscape would change, but its changing already. Balbriggan is no longer a pretty (was it ever) fishing village. The rise of the car-dependant suburbs will do as much to upset the important wading areas as will a new port. Better to have significant jobs closer to these areas then to drag everyone into Dublin.
Bremore is also not a figment of the PDs imagination. The development of a new port in North County Dublin has been bandied about for years. I agree though that it does seem like an odd policy statement from the PDs…not usually ones for visions, unless it concerns the taxcodes.
Thats off Summerhill Parade. Is it called Hill Street? It terminated the street and was most likely originally a church. It seems alot of the parish churches of the north inner city have found new uses.
A nice bit of research here Graham. I had meant to see what was in store for the site but never got around to it. It is good to see that Dunnes are opting for an imposing facade although I too think its a shame that all or at least some of the elements of the original buildings be kept. However I like what they have done on South George Street and I look forward to seing the finished product here. I think Henry St can become a little monotonous with the endless unified 1917 terrace although I would only advocate minimal and high quality interventions.
Not at all! Most of the major buildings have been very well looked after over the years. Most recently the City Council completed a fantastic restoration of City Hall and of course its not so long ago that Government Buildings emerged from its black cocoon to literal gasps of astonishment that a building like that existed in the city.
Do the fast food shops on OC St have
Should we clarify the title with 2001 seeing as this is the 6th year of these nasty landscaping works on the South Lawn
You might try the Dublin City Archives in Pearse Library. Or pehaps some of the older libraries like Trinity or Marsh
The silhouette is particularly stricking with the sumptuously decorated JWT building in the background and the stuuning illuminations of Come Play!
I agree though the works to the building and its fixtures have been first rate. I also look forward to seeing it all lit up (has this not happened yet?)
Just one thing…. I hope those bus stops will be relocated elsewhere on the street.There were plans on display somewhere for the proposed new arrangement…cant think where. Might have been Irish Times even. On a related issue, yesterdays IT reported that the BofI Arts Centre is to close. BofI said it was nothing to do with funding but taht the facilities at the Centre were simply not acceptable for a modern venue. One would have to wonder how all the greats like Bach, Mozart etc managed to write and perform without 21stC state of the art facilities….
Hmm thats interesting. I dont know of any “shop”, perhaps the plans refer to the remaining security hut at the Kildare Street entrance. It would make sense that this be demolished and replaced by a glass pavillion in keeping with the new entry beside it. I imagine the words “protected structure” refer to Leinster House itself.
No sign of any grass sprouting up through that carpark yet….
Niall why dont you try and branch into something else connected to planning as a means of gaining experience. Use all that wonderful environmental management knwoldge passed down to you. 🙂
This has been in the pipeline for a while and was mentioned a couple of months ago when the City Manager announced stricter planning guidelines for Grafton Street. I think its enormously important that the CC have a clearer and more cohesive strategy for the city centre retail core. With all the new retail development outside of the city the CC must be more proactive in pushing quality retailing. My guess is this document will facilitate things like the new Arnotts, Carlton site development, new retail on Dawson St etc. It will be interesting to read the full doc….its a pity the Indo can
