Le mie ricette per la real estate communityHammerson has today unveiled a proposal for the regeneration of an important 2.2 ha (5.5 acre) site in Dublin’s north inner city to include a fully integrated Metrolink station for O’Connell Street.
The entire masterplan area, known as Dublin Central, represents an opportunity to appropriately regenerate a historic part of Dublin, while ensuring its long-standing traditions and important heritage can be retained and celebrated. Masterplan proposals include two new public squares, new pedestrian routes and the restoration of historically important laneways. It ensures the area around Nos. 14–17 Moore Street, a National Monument due to its role in the Easter Rising, is appropriately restored as part of this landmark destination.
Three, out of six, planning applications for the proposed mixed-use development were submitted today to Dublin City Council, with more to follow in the coming months. These initial applications comprise lands situated on the west side of the site and include residential, hotel, retail, restaurant and café and cultural uses.
The
wider Dublin Central masterplan area, with almost 200m of continuous
frontage on O’Connell Street
Upper is bounded by Parnell Street to the north, Moore Street to the
west and Henry Street to the south and includes proposals for:
• 94 new homes with high-quality resident amenities
• 8,000 sq. m. of restaurants, cafes and shops
• 44,000 sq. m. of flexible, carefully-designed workspace
• Up to 210 hotel rooms
• A new public gallery and café use
Ed Dobbs, Development Manager at Hammerson, said: “Dublin Central will regenerate this important part of Dublin, breathing new life and vibrancy into a unique area with an important history. Our priority has been to preserve and celebrate the site’s heritage whilst bringing forward an appropriate proposal that seeks to enhance its history and tell its story. We are passionate about reinstating the site as a focal point of Dublin life for the people of our capital city.
“The creation of this new landmark destination will also bring significant economic, employment and spill-over benefits locally, creating safe, high-quality public spaces where people and brands will want to be.”
Economic regeneration
Dublin
Central, one of the largest regeneration projects in Dublin today, will
be a key catalyst
for further inward investment into Dublin 1, providing a much needed
‘rebalancing’ to the city centre. It is forecast that the following
economic benefits will be delivered from the regeneration:
• 8,600 job opportunities supported (on-site, locally and supply chain)
• 50 skilled apprenticeships supported
• 366 full-time retail employees upon launch, of which approximately 85% will be local jobs
• Up to 2,200 office employees supported, once fully let
• €8m in business rates per annum
The Taoiseach welcomes the plans to rejuvenate this iconic area of Dublin whilst preserving its historic and cultural heritage. Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said: “The plans will enhance the status of O’Connell Street by developing new transport links and delivering new homes, retail facilities and offices which will boost employment in the area. The locations around Moore Street and the GPO will see an increasing number of visitors who will be drawn to the seminal role it played in our history.
“Government
has already allocated significant funding to complete the conservation
of the State owned
buildings at Nos. 14 -17 Moore Street and to create new visitor and
exhibition facilities to the rear. As the plans for Dublin Central
develop it is important to continue to liaise with the street traders
and those concerned with heritage conservation.”
The masterplan
An award-winning design team has been appointed, led by ACME, including several renowned Irish architectural practices, creating a rich mix of international and local design expertise to best reflect both the status and sensitive nature of the site.
The Dublin Central masterplan has been thoroughly researched and carefully conceived, with a focus on delivering:
• The restoration of a significant piece of O’Connell St Upper, Dublin’s pre-eminent street
• New pedestrian connections linking O’Connell St to Moore St via a new public square and Henry Street to Henry Place/Moore Lane
• Enabling works for an integrated Metrolink station
• A re-imagined ‘White Building’ on Henry Place, restored as a gallery
• A new 1,250 sq. m. civic square, open to the public with potential to host activities and events
• Restoration of the iconic Carlton façade including reinstatement of the former ‘Carlton Grill’
• Restoration of No 42 O’Connell Street, the only remaining Georgian town house on the street
• Retention of all pre-1916 buildings and fabric along Moore Street
• A new archway to commemorate the Easter Rising for which the 1916 Relatives Association has suggested names
• The restoration of Conway’s Pub on Parnell Street
The scheme will benefit from immediate access to Luas Red & Green lines, 31 bus routes passing through O’Connell Street and the future Metrolink. Only 36 car spaces are therefore proposed, each with EV charging points, thereby keeping carbon emissions and congestion to a minimum. The overall scheme also proposes over 650 tenant cycle spaces.
Sustainable regeneration
Dublin Central is committed to its sustainability approach, as Hammerson focuses on meeting its ambitious target of becoming Net Positive for carbon, water, resource use and social impacts by 2030. Dublin Central is set to be one of Dublin’s most sustainable mixed use developments.
The ambitious sustainability brief for Dublin Central has ensured that buildings have the potential to achieve exemplar ratings under industry benchmarks (LEED, BREEAM, Passivhaus and Well). Zero fossil fuels will be consumed directly on site, supporting a clean-air policy for the city centre championed by Dublin City Council via its membership of the UN Breathe Life Campaign.
Planting at roof level will provide gardens for restaurants and increase biodiversity across the site. High quality, sustainable materials with a low-embodied carbon footprint will be specified including the potential for timber-frame construction. The building fabric for Dublin Central will be optimised to reduce energy demands for heating and cooling in line with 2030 best practices guidance. An innovative hybrid ventilation strategy will combine the best of natural and mechanical systems to reduce energy while improving air quality, circulation and comfort. Roof-mounted photo-voltaic panels will generate renewable energy and heat pumps will be used for all heating, cooling and hot water requirements.
Source : Dublin Central /Hammerson