Dublin City Council refuses permission for office block near Portobello House

Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for a five-storey office block scheme over concerns the proposal would have on protected structure, Portobello House, overlooking Dublin’s Grand Canal.

Portodev Ltd lodged plans in January for the five-storey over lower ground level scheme including a cafe at ground floor level at Richmond Street South, Dublin 2.

The scheme involves the demolition of 12, 34-35, 36 and 37 Richmond Street.

In its refusal to Portodev Ltd, the council stated that the scheme’s scale and form would seriously injure the architectural character and setting of Portobello House. It also refused permission due to the height and scale of the scheme stating that it would undermine the urban grain of the area.

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As a consequence, the development would set an undesirable precedent for similar type development and would be incompatible with the established character of the subject site, it added.

The refusal came after the planner’s report concluded that “on balance, there are serious reservations regarding the proposed demolition of the historic buildings at Nos. 36-37 Richmond Street South”.

The report stated that the proposal ‘would constitute overdevelopment of the site and would result in a visually obtrusive and insensitive form of development’

According to the report, “the demolition of what is obviously a historic cluster of properties at this prominent location, is considered to be unwarranted and could create an undesirable precedent for similar type development”.

The report also stated that the proposal “would constitute overdevelopment of the site and would result in a visually obtrusive and insensitive form of development”.

Overall, the proposal “would result in the creation of a monolithic block that would fail to result in either a contextual or high-quality design response and would result in an unacceptable impact upon Portobello House”.

Among those expressing reservations about the scheme were Labour Party leader and local TD Ivana Bacik.

In a submission to the council, Deputy Bacik stated that “I am concerned to see the proposed construction of office blocks at this location, given our current housing and homelessness crisis”.

In response to the decision, she said: “I am delighted that planning has been refused; I hope that we will now see proposals for housing submitted instead for the same site.”

In her submission to the council, the Dublin Bay South TD argued that the “development of more office blocks will not contribute towards the provision of necessary homes and the promotion of sustainable communities”.