€60m expected for site at Heuston Station

The OPW and Eircom are to sell an 8-acre site with permission for a large mixed-use development, writes Jack Fagan

Another large development site is to be offered for sale close to Dublin city centre.

The Office of Public Works and Eircom expect to secure at least €60 million for the eight acres opposite Heuston Station which has planning permission for a mixed development of offices, apartments, an hotel,shops, restaurants, bars and an interactive children's museum.

Dublin City Council has already approved plans for a 32-storey tower on an adjoining OPW site - also likely to be sold in the future - which, if constructed, will be Ireland's tallest building.

The mainly residential tower would be located west of the former Dr Steevens' Hospital at the intersection of St John's Road and a new pedestrian route to the Irish Museum of Modern Art at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.

It will rise to a height of 117 metres (386 feet), accommodate 96 apartments and provide a restaurant on the first three floors and a public observation deck at the top. The decision to grant permission for the tower is currently being appealed to An Bord Pleanála by three separate parties.

The eight acres are owned jointly by the OPW and Eircom and are likely to be sold by tender in the coming weeks through Jones Lang La Salle.

Eircom is retaining about 1.5 acres at the corner of St John's Road and Military Road for a headquarters building which will have a floor area of about 23,225 sq m (250,000 sq ft). The company currently rents several office buildings around the city.

An Bord Pleanála has ruled that whoever develops the site should provide a gallery/museum space (about 4,000 sq m - 43,055 sq ft) free of charge to the Irish Museum of Modern Art before 60 per cent of the permitted floor space is occupied.

The planning appeals board has already granted permission for the first phase of Westgate subject to the omission of a 12-storey tower with about 9,290 sq m (100,000 sq ft) of office space. Eircom apparently feels that a newly designed, smaller tower might be approved by the planners.

The site due to go for sale has planning permission for an overall development of 69,675 sq m (750,000 sq ft) which includes about 18,580 sq m (200,000 sq ft) of offices, a 200-bed hotel, 300 apartments and six retail units.

The Westgate scheme, one of Dublin's most significant urban renewal projects, could have a potential value of €500 million when it is finally completed in four or five years' time.

This phase, designed by Anthony Reddy Associates, will also include the museum facilities.

The total development of both sites will have about 650 apartments. A strong selling point for the scheme will be its proximity to both Heuston Station and the newly opened Tallaght Luas line.