Microsoft Irish HQ subject to €8m council levy

Microsoft has been granted permission to build a "mega headquarters" building in Leopardstown, subject to contributions of €8.3 million to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The proposed office development on a three-hectare site at South County Business Park on Leopardstown Road, opposite the Icon building, would also have to meet 35 conditions set out by the council’s planning department.

Interested parties received the letter from the planning authority yesterday granting permission subject to conditions.

Three observations were made to the plans, which included one relating to an “inadequate” number of car parking spaces.

Green Party councillor Ossian Smyth said there would be room in the "mega headquarters" building to accommodate up to 2,000 staff.

“That would pretty much be all of their Irish staff. Microsoft wanted to get everyone in the same building so they could all work closer,” he said.

Forest protected

“A lot of changes to the roads and roundabout are needed in Leopardstown to make this area safe for cycling and I’m glad that the permission is conditional on these changes being made before the construction starts. I’m also glad that a large area of forest is to be protected.”

Mr Smyth said the planners should show the basis for calculating the contribution charges for the Microsoft Ireland Dublin campus.

"This is the highest development contribution that I have ever seen for a single building in Dún Laoghaire, " he said.

Reasons for the contributions included partly financing the extension of the Luas line B from the Sandyford depot to Cherrywood (€2.4 million), funding towards community and parks public infrastructure, facilities and amenities (€1.2 million) and a special contribution towards developing road improvements (€1.6 million).

Woodland views

The four- to five-storey building, over a two-level basement, is designed to make the most of the Leopardstown Racecourse and woodland views.

The total gross floor area of the concrete structure is at 34,554 sq m. It would include a gym/leisure centre and an ESB substation.

There would be 558 car parking spaces, with 343 on surface level. The basement would include 24 motorcycle spaces and bicycle spots.

Tudor Lawns Residents’ Association submitted an objection to the plan on the grounds there is an “inadequate number of parking spaces” for a building of its size.

Public transport

After a meeting with Microsoft, the letter stated that residents were told the company would adopt a “culture of getting its employees to use public transport”.

However, the group wrote in the submission it would be difficult to implement as the area was not “well-served” by public transport.

Appeals can be made to An Bord Pleanála within the four weeks from the date permission was granted, July 31st.

If no appeals are made, the expected completion date of the project is 2016.

The company currently uses two buildings in the South County Business Park and another two buildings in the Sandyford Business Park.