Google's pub plans causes upset among Dublin households

The application lodged last month to Dublin City Council came nine months after Google officially opened the first phase of its Bolands Mills development.

In the 13-page planning report, Mr Spain has argued that the public house use 'will assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents'.  File Picture: Peter Morgan/AP

Locals have called on Dublin City Council to refuse planning permission to Google Ireland’s plans for a new Dublin 4 pub.

Last month, Google Ireland lodged plans with the council to change a permitted use of "retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace" to that of "public house" for the ground floor and lower ground floor of Unit 3 Building B at Google's Boland’s Mill campus on Ringsend Rd, Dublin 4.

The planning consultant for Google Ireland, John Spain, has told the council that the application is being made “in response from active interest from a public house operator and a recent change in the tenancy mix, to contribute to the overall vitality mix of the wider uses of Boland’s Quay”.

In the 13-page planning report, Mr Spain has argued that the public house use "will assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents".

However, in an objection on behalf of seven households on Barrow St, architect Patrick Lynch is objecting to the proposal on a number of grounds.

Mr Lynch states that one of those is "the increased safety risk to young children living adjacent to the proposed development from potential drunk and disorderly behaviour, disabling them to come and go safely from their own homes, to schools, a local playground or friends’ houses is concerning to residents".

Mr Lynch states that the residents’ grounds and concerns for refusing this application "are clear and unambiguous".

He has told the council that "the residents are very concerned that the proposed application will result in a substantial loss of their well established residential amenity, which is contrary to the objectives of the Dublin City Development Plan”.

Mr Lynch states that the residents are effectively living on Google's campus due to recent developments.

Mr Lynch argues that "there are already numerous established public houses in close proximity to Barrow St". 

"If the proposed 'public house' is permitted, it would attract additional large numbers of late night visitors especially when events are taking place at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Aviva Stadium, and the 3Arena," he added.

He said that residents are "concerned for their safety and from noise/disruption at closing time".

The application lodged last month came nine months after Google officially opened the first phase of its Bolands Mills development.

The historic Flour Mills building at the complex has been restored and adapted into a dedicated collaboration space for Google which purchased the mills in 2018.