An Bord Pleanála refuses plans for eight-storey building close to Ha'Penny bridge

Gordon Deegan

An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for an eight-storey mixed use scheme close to the historic Ha’Penny Bridge in Dublin.

The appeals board refused permission to SRM Book and Cook Ltd for the scheme due to its impact on the historic setting of the "iconic and unique" Liffey Quays.

SRM Book and Cook Ltd, which operates the Woollen Mills Eating House restaurant at Ormond Quay, originally lodged plans in January 2023 for the eight storey development consisting of six three bed apartments, a two-bedroom penthouse unit and a restaurant at ground floor level.

In its refusal, the appeals board stated that due to the scale, height and massing, the proposal constitutes an excessive and inappropriate form of development in the context of the historic setting of the Liffey Quays which is iconic and unique to the built heritage of the inner city.

The appeals board concluded that the development would result in significant over-development of this sensitive site to the rear of The Woollen Mills.

The board determined that the proposed building would cause serious injury to the amenity, legibility, special character and setting of three protected structures.

The board said the scheme would cause serious injury to the visual amenities and presentation of the Liffey Quays Conservation Area.

The board found that the scheme would set an undesirable precedent for development within and adjacent to historic buildings and protected structures within a Conservation Area.

The appeals board also found that due to the height, scale and massing of the building it would constitute a visually jarring building.

In its appeal against the February 2023 Dublin City Council refusal SRM Book and Cook Ltd put an  alternative plan forward to reduce the scheme by one storey to seven storeys.

In the comprehensive appeal, planning consultant, Kevin Hughes argued that the scheme does not represent over-development of the site.

Mr Hughes stated that the development has achieved a high standard of contemporary architecture which is appropriate in improving the visual amenity of the immediate and wider streetscape of Ormond Quay Lower “and has been designed to a scale which is appropriate in the context of setting a suitable precedent for the efficient future development of similar city centre locations”.

In response, the operator of The Grand Social night venue, Taurus Management Consultancy Ltd objected with a planning consultant, Suzanne McClure arguing that the scheme “would have a profoundly negative impact on The Grand Social and its ongoing commercial viability”