Thornton O’Connor Town Planning in conjunction with DJI Design are delighted to have received a Grant of Permission from An Bord Pleanála for a four storey office extension to the rear of the Exchequer Chambers building on Exchequer Street.
The development, which was initially issued a Notification of Decision to Grant Permission from Dublin City Council was subject to a Third Party Appeal from an adjoining landowner. It was claimed that the subject development through the inclusion of windows at the party boundary with adjoining lands would hamper the future development potential of the adjoining site.
Thornton O’Connor Town Planning successfully demonstrated to An Bord Pleanála that any future insertion of built fabric to the adjoining site would need to be designed having due regard to its context, which is predominated by historic buildings, including its relationship with the Exchequer Chambers building which was constructed in 1901 to the designs of William H Byrne.
The Board Inspector who ultimately recommended a Grant of Permission stated in their assessment that there is no evidence of any application or development proposals submitted to the planning authority for preplanning enquiry and therefore the development of the adjoining site is purely speculative. The Inspector also noted that the size of the Appellant’s site (c 4,000 sq m) would allow for a variety of design proposals and therefore it was not considered that the proposed development would preclude the future development of sites in the surrounding area.
We are delighted to have secured permission for a high quality built form in the heart of Dublin 2 that will add interest to the streetscape of Andrew’s Lane and maximise the use of city centre infrastructure and services by intensifying office development at the subject site. The scheme represents a significant investment in a strategically located site in the heart of the city which will add to the transformation of the area, improving vitality and viability and ensuring densification of key urban sites.