Site within City Block No. 9 (c.1.95ha), North Wall Quay and Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1
Waterside Block 9 Developments Limited intends to apply for permission for development on this site of c. 0.22ha to amend Block No. 1 of a previously permitted 3-block scheme (Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22 (referenced as ‘Scheme No. 9’), which itself amends Reg. Ref. DSDZ2103/21 (‘Scheme No. 7’), Reg.Ref. DSDZ3409/19 (‘Scheme No. 6’), Reg. Ref. DSDZ3780/17 (‘Scheme No. 5’) and Reg. Ref. DSDZ3779/17 (‘Scheme No. 4’) (the latter since expired)). For the purposes of identification, this Application is identified as the ‘Block No. 1 Amendment Scheme / Scheme No. 12’. This Application (‘Scheme No. 12’) relates to a proposed development within a Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme area, located within City Block No. 9 (c.1.95ha), North Wall Quay and Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1, bounded by permitted Block No. 2 (Reg. Ref. DSDZ3552/24 (‘Scheme No. 14’)) to the south (c. 0.48ha), Mayor Street Upper to the north, the residual City Block No. 9 lands of 1.24ha to the east (currently the subject of a Planning Application for a mixed-use development (Reg. Ref. DSDZ4146/24 (‘Scheme No. 16’)), with Castleforbes Road to the west, as identified in the North Lotts & Grand Canal Dock Planning Scheme, 2014. Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22 (‘Scheme No. 9’) (on a site of c.1.04ha) permits the construction of 3 No. commercial office buildings identified as Block Nos.1, 2 and 3, ranging in height from 5-storeys to 9-storeys totalling 67,903 sq m (including retail (143 sq m) in Block No. 3 and retail services (130 sq m) and gallery / exhibition (188 sq m) in Block No. 2). Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22 (‘Scheme No. 9’) permits inter alia the ‘decoupling’ both above and below ground of the previously-permitted Block No. 1 (11,916 sq m), Block No. 2 (34,129 sq m) and Block No. 3 (13,355 sq m), respectively, from each other, in order that each Block can be developed separately of each other, and is valid until 21 June 2028. Permitted Block Nos. 2 and 3 are not affected by this Application. (Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ4408/23 (‘Scheme No. 11’) subsequently amended Block No. 2 (34,244 sq m) and it was subsequently amended by Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ3552/24 (‘Scheme No. 14’) (34,181 sq m).) Additionally, on Tuesday, 13 August 2024, the Applicant lodged a Planning Application for a proposed Mixed-use Scheme (Reg. Ref. DSDZ4146/24 (‘Scheme No. 16’)) seeking permission for development to construct 3 No. Residential Blocks (identified as Blocks A, B and C) and to amend the previously permitted Block No. 3 on a site of 1.24ha (predominantly on the eastern part of City Block No. 9) including ancillary external works including revised landscaping, the permanent design for the central civic space Pocket Park and the relocation of the vehicular ramp from North Wall Avenue to the north by 1.5m to the north at Ground Floor Level 00. The Permitted Block No. 1 (‘Scheme No. 9’) has a combined Total Floor Area (TFA) of 11,916 sq m (comprising: 9,282 sq m from Ground Floor Level 00 and up; 1,302 sq m at Lower Ground Floor Level -01; and 1,332 sq m at Basement Level -02). The Total Floor Area of the proposed Amendment Scheme (‘Scheme No. 12’) increases Block No. 1 by 3,763 sq m from that granted by Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22 (‘Scheme No. 9’) from 11,916 sq m to 15,679 sq m, derived by: the inclusion of 1,495 sq m at Basement Level -03; an increase of 473 sq m at Basement Level -02; an increase of 435 sq m at Lower Ground Floor -01; and an increase of 1,360 sq m from Ground Floor Level 00 and up. The Block No. 1 Amendment Scheme (‘Scheme No. 12’) will consist of the following external works: 1. Change of Levels of the external landscaping from 4.0m OD to 4.1m OD to align the external levels of Block No. 1 with the external levels of the Permitted Block No. 2 (Reg. Ref. DSDZ4408/23); and 2. Addition of a new landscaped area to the east of proposed Block No. 1. The proposed amendments to Block No. 1 will also consist of the following: 1. Construction of an additional Basement Level -03 to accommodate the relocation of plant from permitted Basement Level -02 to proposed Basement Level -03 (Scheme No. 7 (Reg. Ref. DSDZ2103/21) had permitted a third level of Basement under Block No. 3, but it was omitted by Scheme No. 9 (Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22)); 2. Addition of an attenuation tank below proposed Basement Level -03; 3. Change of use from part of permitted Basement Level -02 plant space to commercial office floor space (473 sq m) (lit by a lightwell from Ground Level 00 down to Basement Level -02); 4. Reconfiguration of Basement Level -02 to accommodate an increase in the number of bicycle spaces (by 53 No. from 156 No. to 209 No.), lockers, showers and increased plant area; 5. Extension to Basement Level -02 and Lower Ground Floor Level -01 to the east; 6. Relocation of internal vertical columns from Basement Level -02 through to Sixth Floor Level 06 to align with revised building configuration; 7. Increase of commercial office space by 440sq m from 916 sq m to 1,356 sq m at proposed Lower Ground Floor Level -01; 8. Alteration of the internal Ground Floor Level 00 from 4.0m OD to 4.1m OD to align with Block No. 2 of the Permitted Reg. Ref. DSDZ5296/22 Scheme as amended by Reg. Ref. DSDZ4408/23 as amended by Reg. Ref. DSDZ3552/24 (‘Scheme No. 14’); 9. Reconfiguration of the west and southwest entrances, including the reconfiguration of secondary entrances, with the facade expression pushed up at the entrance corner, and revised landscape along Castleforbes Road; 10. Alterations to lightwells and vents along Castleforbes Road, including the relocation of permitted internal lightwell external to south façade, in response to the revised entrance and inter alia to provide improved daylight to lower levels; 11. Alterations to and reconfiguration of Core 01 including the addition of a fire escape corridor exiting to the south façade at Ground Floor Level 00, as per fire compliance requirements; 12. Alterations to and reconfiguration of Core 02 including relocation of the waste lift and the addition of an associated fire escape door exiting to the north façade at Ground Floor Level 00, as per fire compliance requirements; 13. Relocation of Ground Floor Level 00 ESB substation and switchrooms eastwards along north façade at Ground Floor Level 00 with alterations to the ESB substation façade as per ESB compliance requirements; 14. Addition of a decorative screen to Core 02 at Ground Floor Level 00 and ESB substation at north and west façade; 15. Extension of the south-east Ground Floor Level 00 through to Fourth Floor Level 04 to the east; 16. Extension of the north-east Ground Floor Level 00 through to Fifth Floor Level 05 to the east; 17. Reconfiguration of the Ground Floor Level 00 and extension of the south-west facade, and reduction of the west facade at Core 02 to the east; 18. Extension to Ground Floor Level 00 through to Roof Level 07 to the east; 19. Extension to First Floor Level 01 to the south; 20. Reduction of the west facade in south-west corner from First Floor Level 01 and an equivalent localised reduction up to Sixth Floor Level 06; 21. Reduction of the west facade to the east from First Floor Level 01 to Seventh Floor Level 07; 22. Increase in floor-to-floor levels from 4.2m to 4.575m at Third Floor Level 03, Fifth Floor Level 05 and Sixth Floor Level 06, to allow for the provision of amenity terraces (resulting in an overall increase in height from the permitted parapet height of 37.275m OD to 38.4m OD and an increase of lift overrun height from the permitted 38.975m OD to 40.2m OD); 23. Extension to Sixth Floor Level 06 to the south; 24. Alterations to plant, plant screen and overruns at Roof Level 07; 25. Provision of rainscreen cladding at lift overruns at Roof Level 07; 26. Alterations to the north, east, south and west facades, including the redesign of bronze opaque panels on east and west facades and removal of perforated metal panels on west and north facades; and 27. The undertaking of all other site and ancillary development works above and below ground. The Block No. 1 Amendment Scheme (‘Scheme No. 12’) includes the provision of 209 No. long-stay bicycle parking spaces (representing an additional 53 No. long-stay bicycle parking spaces from the permitted Block No. 1) and the provision of an additional 11 No. short-stay visitor bicycle parking spaces (including 1 No. cargo bicycle parking space) externally at Ground Floor Level 00, resulting in a total provision of 220 No. bicycle parking spaces in the proposed scheme (a total increase of 64 No. bicycle parking spaces associated with Block No. 1 from the previously permitted provision).