City Block 9, North Wall Quay, Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1
Permission for development on a site of 0.999ha to amend a previously permitted scheme (Reg. Reg. DSDZ2103/21-the 'Parent Permission' (on a smaller site of 0.921ha, the difference in site area of 0.078 ha accounting for the new spur to facilitate the ramp from North Wall Avenue) totalling 66,718 sqm (comprising 43,767 sqm above ground and 22,951 sq m below ground)- to now provide in this 'Amendment Scheme' 67,364 sq m (comprising of 49,364 sq m above ground and 18,000 sq m below ground), at City Block 9, North Wall Quay and Mayor Street Upper, Dublin 1, bounded by the residual City Block 9 lands of 0.9917ha and North Wall Avenue to the east. (The development site of 0.999ha includes 0.071ha of lands to facilitate the temporary provision of a pocket park at ground level pending redevelopment of the residual City Block 9 lands.) The overall gross commercial area increases by 646 sq m from that granted by the Parent Permission: an increase of 5,597 sq m at ground and above; and a decrease of 4,951 sq m at basement levels. This application relates to a proposed development within a Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme area, located within City Block 9 as identified in the North Lotts & Grand Canal Dock Planning Scheme, 2014. The Parent Permission permits the construction of 3 No. commercial office buildings (including retail (278 sq m (accounting for a reduction of 90 sq m by Condition No. 31 of the Parent Permission)) and exhibition/gallery 188 sq m), identified as four blocks (Blocks 1-4) ranging in height from 5-storeys to 9-storeys. The Parent Permission is valid until 2 October 2026. The Amendment Scheme will consist of the construction of 3 No. commercial office buildings (including retail (138 sq m), retail services (145 sq m) and gallery / exhibition space (186 sq m)), identified as three blocks (Blocks 1, 2 and 3) ranging in height from 5-storeys to 9-storeys. The development the subject of this Amendment Scheme will consist of the following: 1. Amendment of Permission Reg. Ref. DSDZ2103/21 to decouple/segregate the permitted scheme into three constituent parts: (a) Block 1, now with two levels of reconfigured basement (including lower ground floor). (b) Block 2 (formerly identified as Blocks 2/3) over three levels of reconfigured basement (including lower ground floor), with access from the permitted vehicular access provided by ramp from Castleforbes Road. (c) Block 3 (formerly Block 4) over two levels of basement (including lower ground floor) to be accessed from a new vehicular access ramp off North Wall Avenue. The decoupling is designed to facilitate the independent development of Block 2 at all levels from basement upwards, independent of the residual Blocks 1 and 3, respectively. 2. Amendment of the permitted Block 1 (9,409 sq m from ground level upwards) over a two-level reconfigured basement (with no external vehicular ramp) (one basement level omitted) and with additional roof level plant (to replace that displaced from basement level). 3. Amendment of the permitted Block 2/3 (now identified as Block 2) (30,350 sq m from ground level upwards) over the permitted, but reconfigured, three-level basement accessed off the permitted access ramp on Castleforbes Road, including amendments to the cores and advised external architectural expression design. 4. Amendment of the permitted Block 4 (now identified as Block 3) (9,605 sq m from ground level upwards) over a two-level reconfigured basement of 3,931 sq.m accessed from a new access point to North Wall Avenue, and an increase in floorspace from 10,670 sq m permitted to 11,149 sq m/ an increase in floorspace from 8,718 sq m permitted to 9,605 sq m above ground. 5. An increase in the provision of car parking spaces from 107 No. to 109 No. (the additional 2 No. increasing the EV car parking spaces from 10 No. to 12 No.) 6. An increase in the provision of bicycle parking from 570 No. to 696 No. (the number of permitted motorbike parking spaces remains constant at 14 No.) 7. Amendment of the permitted pedestrian lanes and associated public realm improvements to include the provision of a sculptural feature to the corner of North Wall Quay and Castleforbes Road. (As in the Parent Permission public realm works inclusive of parking and loading bays external to the planning application site boundary will be subject to agreement with Dublin City Council.) 8. Associated amendment of all enabling and site development works, landscaping, lighting services and connections, waste management, interim site hoarding, and all other ancillary works above and below the ground including the use of secant piling permitted under Reg. Ref. DSDZ3779/17 and DSDZ3780/17 (as amended by DSDZ3042/19 and DSDZ2103/21). The breakdown of accommodation is as follows: 1. Block 1 is 7 storeys in height with a Gross Internal Area (GIA) of 9,409 sq m (excluding 1,302 sq m at lower ground floor level), with: external accessible terraces and with roof-level terrace and extended access core, over two levels of basement accommodation, comprising: lower ground floor level (1,302 sq m), of office and ancillary accommodation; plant rooms (514 sq m); waste storage facilities (100 sq m); employee changing / dying/ locker facilities (164 sq m); a store area (21 sq m); and 156 No. bicycle parking spaces, with vehicular access provided by two bike lifts. 2. Block 2 is 5-9 storeys in height with a combined GIA of 30,350 sq m (3,110 sq m at lower ground floor level) (including a retail services' unit of 145 sq m and a gallery/ exhibition space of 186 sq m, both located at ground floor) (and associated signage), with external accessible terraces and with roof-level terrace and extended access core; over three levels of basement accommodation comprising: lower ground floor level (3,110 sq m) of office and ancillary accommodation; plant/store rooms (1,916 sq m); waste storage facilities (193 sq m); employee changing / drying / locker facilities (328 sq m ); a cycle repair area (11 sq m); a goods' storage area (118 sq m); double loading bay; 75 No. car parking spaces; 12 No. motorcycle parking spaces; and 372 No. bicycle parking spaces, with vehicular access provided by ramp from Castleforbes Road. 3. Block 3 is 5-8 storeys in height with a GIA of 9,605 sq m (excluding 1,544 sq m at lower ground floor level) (including retail unit of 138 sq m located at ground floor), with external accessible terraces with roof-level terrace and extended access core over two levels of basement accommodation comprising: lower ground floor level (1,544 sq m) of office and ancillary accommodation; plant rooms (219 sq m); waste storage facilities (63 sq m); employee changing / drying / locker facilities (144 sq m); single loading bay; 34 No. car parking spaces; 2 No. motorcycle parking spaces; and 168 No. bicycle parking spaces, with vehicular access provided by ramp from North Wall Avenue.