€1.25bn plan to regenerate O’Connell St

ONE of the country’s leading property development companies has promised 7,000 construction jobs through ambitious plans to spend €1.25bn on the regeneration of 5.5 acres of Dublin city centre.

Planning permission is being sought from Dublin City Council for the development of Dublin Central, the futuristic mixed-use scheme on O’Connell Street.

The 1.7 million sq ft development will incorporate residential, restaurants, public spaces and retail outlets. Two new pedestrian streets and new public squares at O’Connell Street and Henry Street are envisaged, as is a new skyline building with a funicular skylift, panoramic observation deck and a public Park in the Sky.

On completion, the centre will create 3,000 permanent jobs.

The scheme has been designed by Dublin Central Architects (DCA), a partnership between Burke-Kennedy Doyle Architects, McGarry Ni Eanaigh Architects and Donnelly Turpin Architects.

Dominic Deeny, chief executive, Chartered Land, the company behind the proposed development, said: “We believe we have a world class design and a totally committed team to deliver our vision.”

Central to the scheme was a spectacular and unique visitor attraction for the city, he said. “The Park in the Sky will sit above the scheme’s iconic building, and will include at its summit a panoramic observation deck which will provide visitors with a stunning vista of Dublin city. The summit of the attraction will be accessed via a funicular transport system, designed by Marks Barfield Architects, through the Park in the Sky, which will be fully accessible to the public.”

He said his company had given extensive consideration to the historic nature of a number of the buildings within the area.

“Conservation interests will be protected within the scheme and, in fact, are given a renewed focus. The scheme has been designed to sensitively integrate existing historical buildings and structures to ensure a careful balance between the old and new.”

The scheme includes 12 listed structures, which will be handled in different ways, from full retention and restoration to facade retention. The facade of the Carlton Cinema will be relocated 50 metres north of its current position to facilitate the opening up of the new square to O’Connell Street at a crucial point on the thoroughfare.