RDS seeking permission for new €50m Anglesea Stand in Ballsbridge

The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) will seek permission for a new €50 million Anglesea Stand at its arena in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 and hopes to begin construction in August next year.

A statutory planning notice shows the application would involve the demolition of the existing Anglesea Stand and Anglesea Terrace, with the new stand to accommodate 6,775 patrons and consist of three levels along with a two-storey hospitality building.

The RDS was originally granted planning permission for a new Anglesea Stand in August 2018 but that planning permission has since lapsed, requiring the new application to be made.

Confirming that the project would cost €50 million, an RDS spokesman said it had been “fully costed” and would be covered by RDS funds, philanthropy and support from the Government.

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The spokesman said that, following the completion of the new stand, the RDS would be a “modern, multipurpose venue for sporting and live performance events” and would have a capacity of 21,500.

“The existing Anglesea Stand was built in the 1930s and no longer meets modern requirements for players, performers and overall customer experience,” he added.

The planning application follows Leinster Rugby agreeing to a new 25-year lease for the stadium last October. The existing Anglesea stand can accommodate 5,743 in rugby mode.

Commenting in February on the redevelopment of the arena at the RDS, Leinster CEO Shane Nolan said that “the funds are there to make it happen”.

He said: “There’s a real pace happening in it now, which is great. I’ve seen early sights of the vision of the stadium and it looks really, really good.”

[ Leinster Rugby signs 25-year deal with RDS ]

The new planned 6,775-patron Anglesea Stand is slightly larger than the 6,481-patron stand granted planning permission in 2018.

Documents lodged with the 2018 plan estimated that the new stand would increase the then €24.7 million annual spend by Leinster supporters attending rugby matches at the stadium.

Consultants for the RDS told the council then that the multipurpose RDS arena “is a significant contributor to the economy of Dublin, with an overall estimated combined economic impact of €136.5 million to €166 million for rugby games, concert events and the annual horse show”.