RDS complex gets €100m revamp
Planning permission has been sought from Dublin City Council to redevelop three acres of the prestigious 42-acre site, but some local residents are opposing the project.
The new-look complex will significantly increase revenue for the Royal Dublin Society and secure the continuation of the Dublin Horse Show at Ballsbridge.
The ageing Anglesea Stand in the RDS arena will be reroofed and upgraded to include extensive new corporate entertainment facilities.
Some 23,000 square metres of commercial office space will be developed fronting the Simmonscourt Road.
A corporate headquarters building and new multi-purpose stabling and exhibition halls will also be developed.
The development will be carried out in four phases over three to five years.
RDS chief executive Shane Cleary said the society, founded in 1731, is a not-for-profit organisation.
“If we are to continue in that role in Ballsbridge, we must be viable in what is a much more competitive environment with a combination of other venues,” he said. Mr Cleary said the RDS was very keen to give appreciably more funding to its foundation activities. “We sit on a very valuable land bank in Ballsbridge and in order to increase the scale of funding for agriculture, science, industry and the arts, we must get more long-term revenue from that asset,” he said.
The complex now has 10 multi-purpose exhibition halls, the RDS arena, meeting rooms, bars, restaurants and over 2,000 car parking spaces. Last year, the society, which has 5,645 members, hosted more than 70 exhibitions, four concerts and numerous small to medium conferences, as well as the Horse Show.
It generated a turnover of €9.5 million, reported a surplus of €1.54 million and allocated €2.9 million to its foundation activities.
But it accepts that it must move with the times and with this in mind, it has developed a strategic plan to sustain the RDS into the 21st century.
The RDS says the environment in which it operates has changed immeasurably since it was founded. Yet, the founding principles are as viable today as when they were first conceived.
As an integral part of its strategic approach, it will be improving and developing about one-eighth of the Ballsbridge site. The brief given to the architects, RKD, is to maintain and enhance the existing ambience, character and facilities at the RDS.
The historical setting, which is to be respected in the architectural design of the new buildings, will again host the 130th Dublin Horse Show this week.
A total of 1,500 horses and ponies from nearly every county in Ireland will take part in a record 94 showing and special category classes, both ridden and led, and 35 national jumping classes.
The show, one of only eight international events to host the Samsung Super League, is expected to attract 100,000 visitors and a television audience of 250 million people worldwide.
Teams from Britain, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Ireland will take part.
