Differences emerge in CIE over Spencer Dock plans

Serious differences have emerged within CIE over the Spencer Dock development in Dublin's Docklands, with its light rail project team formally objecting to a project in which its parent group is directly involved.

The basis of the objection made by Mr Michael Sheedy, the light rail project manager, is that the development as proposed would provide a reservation wide enough for single-track operation only and this would "severely compromise" the system's efficiency.

Under the Government's decision last May on the Dublin light rail project, it is envisaged that the planned Tallaght line would be extended from Middle Abbey Street to Connolly Station and then to the Docklands area, running across the Spencer Dock site.

Mayor Street - where the Luas line would run - is currently being re-paved as part of the area's redevelopment.

But since no provision was made to install light rail lines in the new cobbled surface, it will have to be dug up again in the future.

Dublin Corporation's planners are now concerned that there may be a conflict between the realisation of this alignment and the insistence of Duchas, the State heritage service, that a proposed bridge over the dock should leave sufficient headroom for navigation.

The planners also want CIE, as the national public transport company and a member of the development consortium, to give specific commitments on the timescale for implementing new public transport facilities to serve the proposed development.

In their request for further information on the project, the planners have asked CIE to clarify its position on the light rail issue and also on the feasibility of linking a proposed underground railway station on the site with the DART line at Barrow Street.

Given that an eastern rail bypass of the city centre had been identified as being of strategic importance, they say it is "imperative" that this issue be resolved, as the level of the station currently proposed for Spencer Dock would appear to preclude a link.

The planners have make it clear that they favour an underground link between Spencer Dock and Barrow Street. "A high-level rail crossing of the river would not be acceptable because of detrimental effects on visual amenity and severance of property," they said.

This conflicts with the view of the Dublin Transportation Office that space should be reserved for high-level alignment on the site. The DTO, in its submission on the scheme, also wants the volume of car parking on the site - at 7,300 spaces - to be significantly reduced.

According to the DTO, developers who stand to gain from high-density schemes served by public transport should contribute towards their cost. But it warned that even if all the public transport proposals were implemented, Spencer Dock could still generate too much traffic.

Altogether, the Spencer Dock development - as proposed - would provide 6 million sq ft of space, including 2.2 million sq ft of offices, 3,000 apartments, two hotels, 18,000 sq mts of shopping and a National Conference Centre. Its value is put at £1 billion.