Planning permission for the €100m part-demolition and rejuvenation of Dublin’s Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre has been granted.
Dublin City Council gave permission after the applicants, DTDL Ltd, submitted revised plans for the centre’s main entrance last month.
The scheme, designed by BKD Architects and O’Donnell+Tuomey, will have capacity to accommodate 3,000 office workers. The retail floor area at basement, ground and first floor levels will be 19,001sq m
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.
The council planner’s report, recommending permission be granted, said that “the applicant has chosen to retain the majority of the architectural design of the corner element as initially proposed”.
The council said that the revised facade included “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 also said that the applicant had “satisfactorily addressed the planning authorities’ concern regarding a lack of strong placemaking and urban design elements associated with the development”.
The planner’s report said that the city council conservation officer had “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 conservation officer’s concerns “are acknowledged. However, a balance has to be struck between the planning gain and the conservation impact of the proposed development”, the report said.
Recommending that planning permission be granted, the report said 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 proposed development would be keeping with the civic character of the area and would not detract from the existing amenities of the area, the report said.
Underlining the scale of the proposal, the council has ordered the developer to pay development contributions of €4.2 million towards public infrastructure and €1.3 million towards the Luas cross city scheme.
In December, the owners of the centre, DTDL Ltd, lodged fresh plans for the redevelopment of the landmark shopping centre five months after An Coimisiún Pleanála refused planning permission for its initial proposal.