Green light given for €100m rejuvenation of St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre
Gordon Deegan
Dublin City Council has granted planning permission for the contentious €100 million part demolition and rejuvenation of St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
The Council has granted planning permission after the applicants, DTDL, lodged revised plans for the façade design at the centre’s main entrance last month.
The scheme, through the BKD Architects/O’Donnell + Tuomey collaboration, will have the capacity to accommodate 3,000 office workers, while the retail floor area at basement, ground and first floor levels will be 19,001 square metres.
In total, the council received 61 submissions with the bulk of those opposed to the application.
One objection lodged on behalf of the Save Stephen’s Green Campaign was backed by a petition of 20,000 signatures.
In the Council's planner’s report recommending planning permission, it states that “the applicant has chosen to retain the majority of the architectural design of the corner element as initially proposed”.
The Council state that the revised facade includes “the provision of a canopy cover over the main entrance that will contribute to the creation of placemaking associated with the proposed development".
The report states that the applicant “has satisfactorily addressed the Planning Authorities concern regarding a lack of strong placemaking and urban design elements associated with the development”.
The planner’s report reveals that the City Council Conservation Officer (CO) “has reiterated their concerns regarding the overall scale and bulk of the proposed development as presented and its potential impact on the wider area and how the scheme addresses Grafton Street and the wider area”.
The report states that the CO concerns “are acknowledged. However, a balance has to be struck between the planning gain and the conservation impact of the proposed development”.
Recommending that planning permission be granted, the Council planner’s report stated that considered holistically “the deep retrofit of the St Stephens Green Shopping Centre will result in an improved visitor and retailer experience associated with the centre”.
The council’s planner’s report concluded that the proposed development would be keeping with the civic character of the area and would not detract from the existing amenities of the area.
Underlining the scale of the proposal, the Council has ordered the developer to pay €4.2 million towards public infrastructure and €1.3 million towards the LUAS Cross City Scheme.
In the further information lodged last month, the design team for applicants, Lanthorn state that "the revised proposals introduce a more defined and cohesive architectural expression that enhances the building’s presence at St Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street”.
In December, owners of the centre, DTDL Ltd lodged new plans for the redevelopment of the landmark shopping centre five months after An Coimiúsin Pleanála refused planning permission for its initial €100 million revamp.
