Planning & DevelopmentThe former ESB offices and showrooms at the entrance to Temple Bar on Fleet Street, Dublin 2, is to be demolished to make way for a larger retail and office building.
Aztic Properties, a company controlled by the Wexford-based Stafford Holdings, bought the unattractive 1960s, four-storey over basement building last October for €33 million.
It has just lodged a planning application to redevelop the site of 0.16 hectares (0.4 of an acre) which backs onto the Bank of Ireland on College Green. Adjoining buildings are considerably higher than the ESB premises.
Aztic is seeking permission for a six-storey block with two further stories set back. There will also be two car lifts to service a double basement where there will be 30 car-parking spaces and other facilities.
There will be 1,313sq m (14,133sq ft) of retail space in three units at street level and a further 1,299sq m (13,982sq ft) in the upper basement. The volume of office space on floors one to seven will extend to 8,188sq m (88,135sq ft).
The Fleet Street premises was one of a small number of ESB buildings excluded for the sale of its retail network to Bank of Scotland (Ireland).
Aztic Properties plans to expand its property portfolio and has secured planning permission for a seven-storey office block of 7,500sq m (80, 730sq ft) on a company-owned site at Furze Road in Sandyford. Stafford Holding, which has long been involved in shipping and oil, acquired the successful Lifestyle Sports business last year which has 71 outlets around the country.
