RTÉ to resubmit parking plans

RTÉ bosses have been told to go back to the drawing board over their plans for a large carpark at the station’s headquarters in Montrose in Dublin.

Dublin City Council has urged the broadcaster to revise its proposals for the construction of a surface carpark for 143 vehicles on the former main access road to the RTÉ campus from Nutley Lane which currently provides 41 parking spaces.

Council planners have expressed concern that granting planning to the state broadcaster for the development would set “an undesirable precedent”. They said there was also a serious concern that additional parking at the RTÉ campus would undermine the capacity of the junction at the new entrance to the station off the N11 dual carriageway.

The council says the number of parking spaces on the RTÉ campus is excessive and contrary to the objectives of its development plan which seeks to achieve a shift in transport modes away from car usage as well as discouraging commuter car parking.

Furthermore, there appears to be no rationale for the level of car parking other than the historic supply of parking on the site,” it said.

The council has now sought more detailed information from RTÉ including a breakdown of staff numbers by core and shift workers as well as how RTÉ employees currently commute to work.

The station has also been asked to provide details of cycle parking, shower, changing and drying facilities at Montrose as well as a mobility management plan and to clarify if it has a dedicated mobility manager for supporting and encouraging staff to switch to more sustainable modes of transport.

Council planners have asked RTÉ to address their concern before they issue a final decision on whether to permit the proposed new car- park.

The revised configuration of the RTÉ campus arises from the sale of over eight acres of land to the construction firm, Cairn Homes, for €107.5m last year. Around 500 houses and apartments are expected to be developed on the site.